Assumptions

[Taryn]

I find that a lot of people I have come across since I have had hearing aids as a young child that they have a lot of assumptions that come along with meeting me. I mean, people seemed to automatically think that because I did have hearing aids, that I had a mental disability as well. I got special attention from various teachers and counsellors and such throughout school up until the end of high school. Now that I am in University it is optional and I have to pursue the help if I need it. Anyways, have any of you come across people who assumed you had other problems just because you are deaf or partially deaf? Most of the time I just brush it off and prove people wrong but frankly it does get annoying every once and awhile.

 

[Silentwolfdog]

I can't remember if I was thought to have other "problem" when they found out I am deaf.

I have known people to ask me weird or stupid questions such as can I read or write, or that can I drive.


More I think about this, I think I probably have been treated like I was "slow" or something. But I have probably never noticed it until you bought it up.

I think I will keep my eye out for this stuff.

I am curious to see what other deaf people say in this thread.

 

[jillio]

deafdyke and I have chatted about this alot. I know my son became very reluctant to use his voice, becasue people would automatically assume that he was MRDD. And, many hearing people with no exposure to deaf/hh individuals seem to equate not hearing with not comprehending.

 

[celicaturtle]

Most of the time I just brush it off and prove people wrong but frankly it does get annoying every once and awhile.

I LOVE your attitude! i am hearing and i think that educating ignorant hearing people that deaf people are normal is the best thing to do. i work at Pizza Hut and one of the drivers is Deaf. Him and i sign at work and people are sooo surprised when i turn around and talk to them. i don't get it, do they think that sign language is some crazy impossible hidden thing??? My friend at work says more intelligent things in a minute than i hear form hearing people most all day.

 

[kristakree]

Oh I could write a book.
But I'll just mention one. I work at Tim Horton's. My boss is a bi*ch. Bascially, she thinks because I have a hearing loss, I'm also stupid and need to be talked to like a four year old. . God I hate her. She will stop me in what I'm doing, take me somewhere else, and proceed to explain it to me using small words so I can "understand" her. IE I was in the freezer getting bagels and I went to put them in the oven, as soon as I turned around, she had all the yogurt stuff in her arms and she went "You do yogurt yes?" I give her a look and told her I still had a list to finish first. She snatched the list out of my hand and told me not to worry about "such a big list!" There was only 4 things on the list.
Some people are ignorant or stupid. Sometimes both. Which makes me sad that there's so many of them out there!

-Krista

 

[BearBeauty]

I've had a lot of people make assumptions when I worked as a waitress.. But I just showed them that they shouldn't assume the worst about deaf people just because they're deaf.

 

[Tousi]

Assumptions are usually the mothers of all screw-ups, lol. Sometimes we can or have to make assumptions but for the most part, I think the best way (and that includes me, of course), especially here on the Internet, is to try to be neutral....

 

[shel90]

Growing up there was the assumption by hearing people in general that since I was able to speak so clearly, I could hear pretty well so whenever I would misunderstand or didn't get what they were saying, they usually gave me dirty looks like I wasn't really paying attention in the first place.

Another assumption was that several of my teachers told me that I am so special and that I am so smart because I could talk well.

As a result of that, I grew up paranoid if my speech skills weren't perfect, it meant I was dumb.

It was my peers who assumed that I was dumber than them simply because I am deaf.