Hey everyone
I am here not because I am part of the Deaf Community, but because I want to learn all about it. Little back story on why..
I had never met anyone who was deaf before. I had never really thought about what it must be like to be deaf. The limited view I had on being deaf was what I got from watching movies\tv or reading books. I assumed that reading lips just came second nature and everyone could do it, and that everyone who was deaf must be a confident person, you know the whole "overcoming adversity to become a confident strong never doubting themselves" kind of thing. I geuss when you dont know anyone who is deaf, you dont think about what it must actually be like.
Last weekend I went to a camp for queer youth, and attending the camp was a young man who was deaf. Everyone learned so much from him. I had no idea there was such thing as the deaf culture and community. Through his translators he taught us all alot. He showed us how easy it was to forget that he was there, and often had to stop the large group and ask them to speak slowly and one at a time so his translators could let him join in the conversation. It was something no one even thought of, but by the end of the retreat everyone had learned to slow down and be respectful of that need.
I was very shy at first, part of me wanted to get to know him but I was scared that he would assume I was only doing it out of pity. Alot of people avoided talking to him the first day, not sure how to approach someone so diffrent from themselves. By the end of the retreat people were writting to him, picking up signs, and txting him with cell phones.
I have seen him outside of the retreat now, and am really enjoying getting to know him. I would love to learn all about the deaf community, your culture, how it feels to be non hearing in a world made for hearing people. I really hope to educate myself on this, so I can better understand him.
I am learning a bit of ASL right now, I have a 7 month old son and I am teaching him how to sign. I wanted to learn ASL to teach him, and also because I want to be a elemantry school teacher and I think ASL is a great language to learn, and meeting my friend has made me want to learn it even faster.
I am particuarally intrested in the deaf\queer community. He told me alot about the homophobia he experinced at the hands of others in the deaf community and it made me realize how even within communities there is alot of oppresion and segregation.
Anyways, this is getting really long! I hope to talk to everyone soon
I am here not because I am part of the Deaf Community, but because I want to learn all about it. Little back story on why..I had never met anyone who was deaf before. I had never really thought about what it must be like to be deaf. The limited view I had on being deaf was what I got from watching movies\tv or reading books. I assumed that reading lips just came second nature and everyone could do it, and that everyone who was deaf must be a confident person, you know the whole "overcoming adversity to become a confident strong never doubting themselves" kind of thing. I geuss when you dont know anyone who is deaf, you dont think about what it must actually be like.
Last weekend I went to a camp for queer youth, and attending the camp was a young man who was deaf. Everyone learned so much from him. I had no idea there was such thing as the deaf culture and community. Through his translators he taught us all alot. He showed us how easy it was to forget that he was there, and often had to stop the large group and ask them to speak slowly and one at a time so his translators could let him join in the conversation. It was something no one even thought of, but by the end of the retreat everyone had learned to slow down and be respectful of that need.
I was very shy at first, part of me wanted to get to know him but I was scared that he would assume I was only doing it out of pity. Alot of people avoided talking to him the first day, not sure how to approach someone so diffrent from themselves. By the end of the retreat people were writting to him, picking up signs, and txting him with cell phones.
I have seen him outside of the retreat now, and am really enjoying getting to know him. I would love to learn all about the deaf community, your culture, how it feels to be non hearing in a world made for hearing people. I really hope to educate myself on this, so I can better understand him.
I am learning a bit of ASL right now, I have a 7 month old son and I am teaching him how to sign. I wanted to learn ASL to teach him, and also because I want to be a elemantry school teacher and I think ASL is a great language to learn, and meeting my friend has made me want to learn it even faster.
I am particuarally intrested in the deaf\queer community. He told me alot about the homophobia he experinced at the hands of others in the deaf community and it made me realize how even within communities there is alot of oppresion and segregation.
Anyways, this is getting really long! I hope to talk to everyone soon
to All Deaf!!
