Medical model and cochlears

Are cochlear implants discrimination against Deaf/HOH individuals?

  • Yes

  • No

  • It depends

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BatChick98

BatChick98

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I am taking a disability studies class for a diversity credit at my university. I got to EWU (Eastern Washington University) by the way. If any of you go there hit me up! I'd love to meet you and put my signing skills to use.

In my class we discuss the medical model and my instructor basically said that all medical professionals want to rid the world of individuals with disabilities so that is why they do things like create cochlear implants and are always trying to find cures for things. Medical professionals hate people with disabilities and want them to go away so they try and fix them. I disagree with this 150%.

Did any of you HOH/Deaf people consider the invention of the cochlear implant discrimination against Deaf/HOH people and Deaf culture? Please let me hear your views on this! I'd also be interested in hearing about other forms of discrimination you have encountered from the medical, professional, or everyday world.
 
Cochlear implants is a very heated topic. If you do some searching around the site you'll find some very strong views from different points of view.
 
zephren said:
Cochlear implants is a very heated topic. If you do some searching around the site you'll find some very strong views from different points of view.
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Mostly what I have found is whether or not people like them, and whether or not they work. I'm looking more to see if they are viewed as discrimination towards Deaf and HOH people. I'd also be interested in learning any other views held on Deaf discrimination
 
Most CI companies offer many different products and programs but they do not offer or recommend ASL. I find it very discriminative.
 
authentic said:
Most CI companies offer many different products and programs but they do not offer or recommend ASL. I find it very discriminative.
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ASL is not part of the product they manufacture. Would you expect a company that makes airplane parts to tell you about something for cars & trucks?
 
authentic said:
Most CI companies offer many different products and programs but they do not offer or recommend ASL. I find it very discriminative.
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Jane B. said:
ASL is not part of the product they manufacture. Would you expect a company that makes airplane parts to tell you about something for cars & trucks?
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authentic said:
Most company that makes airplane use cars & trucks. :lol:
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But you would not go to an airplane parts manufacturer's site for information about parts for your car or truck. Anyway I would not and don't expect that you would either.
 
I am not deaf but a teacher of young children with hearing loss. I have yet to meet someone who has a cochlear implant who would say that. It is the people who do not use them, do not have experience with them and who are, in my opinion, afraid of them, that make such statements.
 
Teacherofthedeaf said:
I am not deaf but a teacher of young children with hearing loss. I have yet to meet someone who has a cochlear implant who would say that. It is the people who do not use them, do not have experience with them and who are, in my opinion, afraid of them, that make such statements.
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Who's statements are you referring to? I am not sure since you did not quote anyone.
 
Jane B. said:
Who's statements are you referring to? I am not sure since you did not quote anyone.
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LoveBlue said:
I'm pretty sure she's replying to the original question. It's not that hard to figure out.
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Once again I feel like I have being singled out for criticism and that you would not have answered this way (if at all) if my post had been made by someone else.
 
I guess my question is more pertaining to a physician recommending CIs, not the companies that manufacture them, because of course they'll try to get your to buy it whether it is right for you or not. Also, to a person who is not deaf, being hearing seems easier. We do not have the knowledge or experience you have with being deaf so a hearing doctor may recommend a CI because that's what they feel would be easier, but not because they are trying to get your to be normal. Do you agree?
 
I think it comes down to how you view deafness. I would expect that from a medical perspective it would be approached pathologically vs culturally. Doctors are always trying to fix everybody. It's their job. The technologies available are a choice for the individual or parent. Some people want to be able to try them and some do not. When a parent makes the decision for a child is when it becomes a slippery slope.
 
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BatChick98 said:
........ Also, to a person who is not deaf, being hearing seems easier. We do not have the knowledge or experience you have with being deaf so a hearing doctor may recommend a CI because that's what they feel would be easier, but not because they are trying to get your to be normal. Do you agree?
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Would you personally approach deafness pathologically or culturally? By your wording it seems as though you don't understand and/or respect Deaf culture.
 
I am not deaf so I cannot say I really understand Deaf culture but of course I respect it. I think it is great. I am going into a medical profession so I personally view all disabilities pathologically, because they are not things that are supposed to happen, nor are they healthy development. Now, this is not to say they are bad. Some of my favorite people have disabilities and their disabilities only make them better.
Do you consider it discrimination against disability when people view disability pathologically?
 
BatChick98 said:
I am not deaf so I cannot say I really understand Deaf culture but of course I respect it. I think it is great. I am going into a medical profession so I personally view all disabilities pathologically, because they are not things that are supposed to happen, nor are they healthy development. Now, this is not to say they are bad. Some of my favorite people have disabilities and their disabilities only make them better.
Do you consider it discrimination against disability when people view disability pathologically?
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You have to understand it in order to respect it. It's really the same respect that you would afford to any culture. If you understand that saying "disabled" or "not normal" or "not things that are suppose to happen nor are they healthy development" is viewed as offensive, you would likely choose your words differently. It's about respect.
 
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May I ask how you became deaf, that is if you were not born deaf?

And also, that isn't true. I know very little about Native American culture but I can respect it and the individuals that identify with it. You can respect without knowing. And I do not mean those words to be offensive, I mean them to sound as a part of the medical model. Also, what word would you suggest other than "disabled?"
 
BatChick98 said:
May I ask how you became deaf, that is if you were not born deaf?

And also, that isn't true. I know very little about Native American culture but I can respect it and the individuals that identify with it. You can respect without knowing. And I do not mean those words to be offensive, I mean them to sound as a part of the medical model. Also, what word would you suggest other than "disabled?"
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I understand that you want to be respectful. But if you understood the culture then you would steer clear of making known offensive comments in order to show that respect. You can't know what is offensive unless you understand the culture. For example, if you knew that Native Americans are offended when people refer to them as redskins, then you would not use that term if you truly respected the culture. What I would suggest is to do some research on Deaf culture to understand it enough to know what is offensive and what is acceptable. Here is a thread on AD put together by folks on this forum. In addition to that the internet or your school library are great resources.
 
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BatChick98 said:
May I ask how you became deaf, that is if you were not born deaf?

And also, that isn't true. I know very little about Native American culture but I can respect it and the individuals that identify with it. You can respect without knowing. And I do not mean those words to be offensive, I mean them to sound as a part of the medical model. Also, what word would you suggest other than "disabled?"
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But see, you referred to Native American as a culture but Deaf as a disability.

Lack of hearing (deafness) may be a physical disability but being Deaf is membership in a culture of shared language and experience.

One can lose the sense of hearing but one can gain language (ASL) and community.
 
Native Americans are born with different features than I have (hair, skin, bone structure, etc, etc).
<born> Deaf are born with different features than I have, including ears that function differently than mine.

Since they're both different from me, should I say they're both disabled?
 
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