Formerly deaf teen helps homeless keep warm

More to the saga. Sigh.
I replied to his email with "How would a headline of 'deaf teen' be misleading? It would be accurate. One who reads the article would understand that she is deaf, but with a cochlear implant. It is a matter of perspective, I suppose: you are hearing while I am deaf, and I do not mind the difference in opinion. I surely did not mean you any disrespect.
And by the way, I live in St. Louis."

He replied "Thanks. And the reason I wrote the story is because I read lips and am hearing impaired. So to assume I was completely able to hear probably set me off. Cochlear implants would be of no benefit to me, unfortunately."

Dang. I look ugly now, don't I? :lol:
I will apologize for my assumption that he could hear.
 
When people think of deaf... they think of "completely deaf."

Maybe suggest the wording to be changed to "hard-of-hearing"?
 
Beowulf said:
More to the saga. Sigh.
I replied to his email with "How would a headline of 'deaf teen' be misleading? It would be accurate. One who reads the article would understand that she is deaf, but with a cochlear implant. It is a matter of perspective, I suppose: you are hearing while I am deaf, and I do not mind the difference in opinion. I surely did not mean you any disrespect.
And by the way, I live in St. Louis."

He replied "Thanks. And the reason I wrote the story is because I read lips and am hearing impaired. So to assume I was completely able to hear probably set me off. Cochlear implants would be of no benefit to me, unfortunately."

Dang. I look ugly now, don't I? :lol:
I will apologize for my assumption that he could hear.
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Wait... a deaf journalist wrote that article? Bizarre.
 
Well, Beowulf, perhaps your assumption that he was hearing was incorrect. Although it would be interesting to know if he is late deafened, or prelingually deafened. Interesting, also, that he identifies as "hearing impaired".

However, the wording of the article is still insulting, and it certainly is no less so when written by a "hearing impaired" individual. He of all people, should be more sensitive to the image he is protraying in the way he worded this artice.

Additionally, it the point of the article was that she was helping the homeless, her hearing status is not an issue. The fact that she is helping the homeless is the issue. Therefore, mentioning her CI status, or her hearing status in any way is unnecessary. Its obvious that he did so in order to portray a particular image: "Look at this poor little deaf girl that has overcome so much!" That is extremely patronizing.

If the issue is her hearing status, then he is still giving false impressions by using the phrase "formerly deaf." The child is still deaf. Think of the parents that will read this article, decide that their deaf child will be hearing with a CI, and then of all the problems that child will encounter as the result of such a false impression.

I did not receive a reply to my email, but I still think this man needed to be corrected on the false imformation he is spreading via the media. I do not regret for one minute speaking out on the topic.
 
Actually... this article is the very reason why I refuse to be in the same room as reporters or do an interview.

They pulled this crap 5 years ago when I was in a drumming circle, and no one told me that the cameras were there. Of course, the media put a spin on it and focused my hearing aid and nerve-damaged left hand on how "drumming circles really helped the disabled " I didn't find out until after it aired twice (from someone else!)... anyway... went through the long tedious process of having them delete it from the archive and not to be repeated for another community commercial.
 
souggy said:
Actually... this article is the very reason why I refuse to be in the same room as reporters or do an interview.

They pulled this crap 5 years ago when I was in a drumming circle, and no one told me that the cameras were there. Of course, the media put a spin on it and focused my hearing aid and nerve-damaged left hand on how "drumming circles really helped the disabled " I didn't find out until after it aired twice (from someone else!)... anyway... went through the long tedious process of having them delete it from the archive and not to be repeated for another community commercial.
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When my son was in kindergarten (before I got him transfered to the Deaf School), a reporter showed up to take pics of kids in the new gym. They published a pic of my son jumping on a trampoline with the caption, "Hearing Impaired Student enjoys new facilities." I raised holy hell with the paper. I asked them if it had been a hearing student, would that have been mentioned in the caption? If not, they had no business mentioning his hearing status, as it had virtually nothing to do with his ability to jump on a tampoline.
 
jillio said:
Well, Beowulf, perhaps your assumption that he was hearing was incorrect. Although it would be interesting to know if he is late deafened, or prelingually deafened. Interesting, also, that he identifies as "hearing impaired".

However, the wording of the article is still insulting, and it certainly is no less so when written by a "hearing impaired" individual. He of all people, should be more sensitive to the image he is protraying in the way he worded this artice.

Additionally, it the point of the article was that she was helping the homeless, her hearing status is not an issue. The fact that she is helping the homeless is the issue. Therefore, mentioning her CI status, or her hearing status in any way is unnecessary. Its obvious that he did so in order to portray a particular image: "Look at this poor little deaf girl that has overcome so much!" That is extremely patronizing.

If the issue is her hearing status, then he is still giving false impressions by using the phrase "formerly deaf." The child is still deaf. Think of the parents that will read this article, decide that their deaf child will be hearing with a CI, and then of all the problems that child will encounter as the result of such a false impression.

I did not receive a reply to my email, but I still think this man needed to be corrected on the false imformation he is spreading via the media. I do not regret for one minute speaking out on the topic.
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I agree, jillio. I am scratching my head as to how he cannot see it as patronizing, so I wonder about his "impairment." Dang, I didn't think being deaf was this complicated, lol.
You didn't get a reply? What did you do, rip him a new one? :lol:
 
Beowulf said:
I agree, jillio. I am scratching my head as to how he cannot see it as patronizing, so I wonder about his "impairment." Dang, I didn't think being deaf was this complicated, lol.
You didn't get a reply? What did you do, rip him a new one? :lol:
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Well, yes, that is exactly what I did.:lol: In a very polite and well spoken way, of course.:lol:
 
I suggest we invite him to alldeaf to read this topic, perhaps join us and broaden his narrow perspective. He could use some deaf ed. lol
 
Beowulf said:
I got a reply to my email. I wrote "It is disturbing in this day and age the profound ignorance being displayed that once I put on my hearing aids, I am 'formerly deaf.' A CI is nothing more than a glorified hearing aid, after all; but the fact of the matter is that I am still deaf, with or without hearing aids. Your article implies that deaf people cannot help the homeless, but I do my part, thank you very much. It is disturbing to see audist attitudes creeping up to our deteriment. Sheesh."

The reply says "Do you have a city of residence to run with the letter? Also, if I had written a headline of 'deaf teen'...that would be misleading because she can hear with the aid of the cochlear implants. The article does not imply that if she were deaf she'd be unable to help others. Sheesh."


Looks like the dude still doesn't get it, lol.
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it this guy for real!!! You're so right the idiot does not get it! some people will never get it! I have 70% hearing lost and I am trying to help homeless people too! I have to wear my HA and use a phone with an extra loud volume! This story is very insulting to deaf and HOH people !
 
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