The role of non-deaf/hoh hearing disabilities in the deaf community

Funny you should mention that - I've just spent the better part of the last couple days at the HLAA convention here in D.C. I did not realize until this afternoon that it used to be SHHH! (which was "Self-Help for the Hearing..." - something - not Impaired because that wouldn't be the H...) I went to something sponsored by SHHH several years ago, then tried to look them up again and thought the organization had disappeared! It seems very much alive and well under the new name.

Anyway, excellent conference, I'm really enjoying it. Lots of interesting workshops, an excellent vendor section, nice people. Tonight 600 of us went to the Kennedy Center to see "Wicked," which was looped, captioned, and signed, plus various kinds of assistive devices available. PLUS - hearing assistance dogs were welcomed!!! Only a couple people took advantage of that, but what a great thing to do.

The show was spectacular; I highly recommend it to anyone thinking of it. It was great to have it captioned; even my hearing husband said the captions were very useful in understanding all the lyrics. Music, sets, costumes, and of course the acting and singing were all just fantastic. Well worth seeing.

I noticed a few people using ASL, not many. Lots and lots of folks of different ages using CIs. Everyone I spoke to about them absolutely love them. A few of the older people said "I don't know why I waited so long; these are great!"

Talked to the Phonak people about the Naida; also talked to someone from an impartial audiologist group and she also recommended the Naida. Might be a new aid for me in the not too distant future!

I enjoyed the demonstration of the CapTel phone; called my husband and we had a little chat to test it out. The transcription was mostly good; they made one mistake quoting my husband as saying "I saw pastor Mike earlier" when what he really said was "I passed her, like, earlier...." (talking about a neighbor). Anyway, that little glitch aside, I could see it being useful. He said it was a little annoying on his end, as there was about a 5 second delay between when he finished speaking and when I finished reading the transcription and started to respond; with that in mind, good idea to tell people what you're doing so they don't wonder about the pauses.

On my part, much less stressful than straining to hear someone on the phone.

Tomorrow is a very full day of workshops; I'm looking forward to several of the presentations. They all look interesting.
 
sallylou said:
You have a lot of self-pity. Pity is what doesn't play well in the Deaf community. Could self-pity be what is keeping you from integrating into the Deaf community. Attitude is everything.
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Attitude certainly is, is but do not expect late-deafened wil be 'Deaf' even WITH ASL because they won't.. Deaf learn sign language as born deaf, from cradle/education/community involvement, but late-deafened have to RE-learn communications and with the issue of hearing gone, and zero effective and dedicated support and access, it's not easy, many just don't make it.

We know cultural deaf are dismissive of hearing loss issues, what IS loss to them ? but the issues exist. Do you think late-deafened go to deaf areas and sit there like sad drunks moaning about their loss of hearing ? I never did ! What you are criticizing in reality is the trauma aspect and depression deafness creates, this is an by-product of losing hearing, it's not something they choose to happen. That was the point being made, it's not as simplistic as learn ASL there are other issues to address, perhaps the deaf community doesn't feel it is their job to deal with it, late deafened don't either, the issue is non-access to the specialist areas that will enable late-deafened to make the next step, whether it is toward an deaf community or back to the hearing one, or even float about between the two which is probably the norm at present.

I don't think the 'Deaf' area is the best place for late-deafened, it's not a criticism,but 'horses for courses'. Are we positive people ? you bet, and we run a LOT of born deaf areas too ! We want to help our worse off.

Obviously and speaking for myself I am an positive person, but I do see late-deafened that struggle, these are the people that need help. I know late deafened of 40 years standing, they cope very well, they work play etc, but they still struggle with deafness daily, it's always there.
 
I can't speak for everyone deaf/hoh/ect however i hear fine, 0 hearing loss and im accepted by most everyone. I had no reason for learning asl other than just wanting to, i taught myself fr a while....i would consider myself apart of the culture...As much as ur concerned about this, the hearing community as a whole would prob. reject u 10x the deaf community IMO. Ive only been told otherwise one time, and the lady didn't get too far before my friends stepped in...i think as long as u don't fake being profoundly deaf when your not ect... i couldn't see my friends being discriminative. It IS a culture, not a super secret club with a password. Thats my "hearie" view, take it for what its worth.
 
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