Hearing Impaired Term?

I'm not always sure what term to use to describe myself. I do not consider myself deaf, at this point-I have otosclerosis, and that is progressive, so someday I probably will be profoundly deaf (at least in one ear). I usually just tell people-if I need to-that I have some hearing loss.

I'm not offended by 'hearing impaired' because in my case, I do have a medical diagnosis, and it is impairing my formerly normal hearing. However, I can see how the term could be offensive. If I was Deaf, I might feel that the term meant something wrong with how I am-which I would find offensive. So, I can respect that 'hearing impaired' is not the term I should use to describe all hoh/deaf/Deaf people. I respect whatever each person chooses to describe themselves as.
 
I work part time for a major retailer, and because of the design of the building out in the garden department where I work - it's a nightmare for someone with hearing loss. I often have to have customers repeat things. I now use the term, "could you repeat that, I have hearing issues".

For some reason wording it that way gets less negative reactions/comments, etc. Why I do not know.
 
I have heard this term used in multiple posts I have read, but I have only seen the abbreviations.

What does CI mean? I have seen it used as "I am deaf/CI..." and I have seen it used as "I have a CI..."

If this question was answered somewhere else, I am sorry. I have even looked it up on google...haha...but I did not really see what I was looking for!

Thank you!! :)

Raquel
 
thesynthfreq said:
Hi. I have a severe to profound hearing loss in both ears and wear Phonak Naida V UPs hearing aids. I can not stand the term "hard of hearing" it sounds like a really old term for hearing loss. It seems more like a term that older people say a lot when referring to their age related hearing loss later in life. My grandfather used that term. lol I think it sounds silly.
I call myself "hearing impaired" since without my hearing aids on, my hearing is severely impaired. I not completely deaf without my hearing aids on, so calling myself Deaf wouldn't seem accurate. I grew up with hearing loss my whole life, its more severe now though.
I am also visually impaired. I use this term for my visual impairment since I am not totally blind, I have use of my right eye only, and I have low vision (20/1600) with glasses. Technically I am called Deaf-Blind by professionals in the deaf-blindness field, but I tell them I am hearing impaired and visually impaired. Not Deaf-Blind since most people assume that you are completely Deaf, and totally Blind. I am used to using the word "impaired" since its a common term used at the TxSchool for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

:) TSF
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That's fine if you don't like the term HoH and prefer "hearing impaired," but many of us (probably a majority) see it the other way, and you need to respect that. It's not silly. Just using the word "impaired" is offensive to many of us. It implies that we are subordinate to hearing society and impaired human beings. It is just as easy to say that hearing society is "deaf impaired" or "signing impaired." Is it not?
 
thesynthfreq said:
Hi. I have a severe to profound hearing loss in both ears and wear Phonak Naida V UPs hearing aids. I can not stand the term "hard of hearing" it sounds like a really old term for hearing loss. It seems more like a term that older people say a lot when referring to their age related hearing loss later in life. My grandfather used that term. lol I think it sounds silly.
I call myself "hearing impaired" since without my hearing aids on, my hearing is severely impaired. I not completely deaf without my hearing aids on, so calling myself Deaf wouldn't seem accurate. I grew up with hearing loss my whole life, its more severe now though.
I am also visually impaired. I use this term for my visual impairment since I am not totally blind, I have use of my right eye only, and I have low vision (20/1600) with glasses. Technically I am called Deaf-Blind by professionals in the deaf-blindness field, but I tell them I am hearing impaired and visually impaired. Not Deaf-Blind since most people assume that you are completely Deaf, and totally Blind. I am used to using the word "impaired" since its a common term used at the TxSchool for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

:) TSF
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FYI..

hearing impaired can mean hard of hearing and deaf so it doenst matter if you were completely deaf or have some hearing. Both fall under the "hearing-impaired" umbrella.

If u want to call yourself that, your right but you cant apply it to the rest of us. I dont consider myself impaired..just deaf.
 
Hollykins1 said:
I work part time for a major retailer, and because of the design of the building out in the garden department where I work - it's a nightmare for someone with hearing loss. I often have to have customers repeat things. I now use the term, "could you repeat that, I have hearing issues".

For some reason wording it that way gets less negative reactions/comments, etc. Why I do not know.
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I used to work in a lot of retail where quick customer interaction was part of the gig. I noticed if I didn't add a quick "hey, I'm pretty much deaf, can you raise your voice?" in a very friendly, outgoing way, I noticed I had fewer instances where the customer didn't repeat themselves. If the customer didn't notice the hearing aid and continued to repeat themselves or notice that my attention was in line with the conversation, they'd get upset. Usually they're apologetic after realizing that it's not an intentional thing where I'm not listening because I think he/she is an idiot or whatever, but rather because I can't hear for a gazillion reasons. Sometimes, I'll tell the speaker by a simple point to the ear and a thumbs up and it works without stopping the flow of conversation. Another great benefit of the BTE.:D
 
TheWriteAlex said:
That's fine if you don't like the term HoH and prefer "hearing impaired," but many of us (probably a majority) see it the other way, and you need to respect that. It's not silly. Just using the word "impaired" is offensive to many of us. It implies that we are subordinate to hearing society and impaired human beings. It is just as easy to say that hearing society is "deaf impaired" or "signing impaired." Is it not?
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:gpost:

As long as the speaker understands that due to unforeseeable circumstances, I couldn't listen to every word that is spoken? It doesn't matter what the term is used for, but as long as it means the same thing I'm ok with almost anything that alludes to that specific dichotomy.

I do pause when certain people use "hearing-impaired" in a certain way.
 
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