Prefer deaf or HOH or hearing?

I am hearing and I wish I could spend even a day with the exact loss my daughter has. I would understand more what she deals with and what it's like.
 
I really enjoyed reading everyone's response and I respect you all for taking the time to do so. You guys gave me a lot to think about. I do like who I am, not just HOH, just me. :) Currently I am trying to put myself out there in more in the deaf community so I can not feel so alone in my Environment. Hopefully, I will make a lot of friends in the deaf community and become more involved.
 
I am deaf. But I do like hearing things going on around me, I need the noise/sounds. But I like that I can take off my HA and CI at night for bed and such, and hear nothing when sleeping, and choosing to hear or not hear at random times. Wouldn't want to be 100% hearing, ever. I like having a choice.
 
cdmeggers said:
I am deaf. But I do like hearing things going on around me, I need the noise/sounds. But I like that I can take off my HA and CI at night for bed and such, and hear nothing when sleeping, and choosing to hear or not hear at random times. Wouldn't want to be 100% hearing, ever. I like having a choice.
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Couldn't have said it any better. I totally agree with this. Basically happens to me, just take out my hearing aids, and then I'm silent from the noises sometimes. :wave:
 
Just accept your deafness, even if you have a mild hearing loss. I was born Deaf, severe to profound hearing loss. I would not dream of wanting to hear. I accept who I am as a deaf person. I signed with Deaf people in the Deaf community. You can not make your ears work. I had trouble trying to understand hearing teachers and hearing students in mainstream school (both elementary and high school), not allowed to have ASL interpreters and not have us learned ASL back in the old days. I was frustrated and unhappy and did tell the principal about my plight. But he refused to listen to our needs (there are other deaf students with me). I was mad. No one want to listen to us. That is why we had discussion on trying to educate the hearing people understand our needs. Some of them think we can hear with hearing aids or CIs, but that is no good at all. Hearing people are still stubborn not believing us that we have problem understanding them, even lipreading is really hard to make out. So be glad that you accept being deaf and find ways to communicate like paper and pen to the hearing people or communicate Deaf people. Good luck on your journey in your deafness. :)
 
Prefers hearing a lot easier. I'm having trouble with deaf ppl becuz I can't sign very good and I was not born deaf like 'em. They can sign easy to them, but not to me. That's what I have problems.
 
GeiShAutUm said:
Prefers hearing a lot easier. I'm having trouble with deaf ppl becuz I can't sign very good and I was not born deaf like 'em. They can sign easy to them, but not to me. That's what I have problems.
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Go to the ASL class and don't give up on signing. Interrupt the Deaf person that you were trying to sign that you could not understand what the word or could not read the fingerspelling. What about paper and pen or text if you have mobile with the d/Deaf person that you can not understand? Just don't feel sorry about yourself wallow in your misery on your hearing loss. Do something about it. You will find way to communicate with them. You just have to adapt to it. Sorry for being blunt. :)
 
I'm just happy the way I am now. I get the best of both worlds. :yesway:
 
I'm HOH, severe-moderate hearing loss in each ear. I have never had any experience of the deaf culture, and in fact spent my time trying to act as though I was able to hear fine because of the reactions I received from my peers throughout my childhood. But in my adulthood I have realised I cannot always escape that, and I'm coming to terms with going about life as a HOH person too.

I would prefer to be hearing due to how I've been raised, but I can see how the deaf culture has its plus points too. To be honest, I'd be whatever provided I was with people who had the same experiences as I do. Being the only HOH person in a group of hearing friends makes things difficult!
 
I recently in the last couple of years started losing my hearing. But that's not what I'm going to talk about, my dad started working at the age of 18 for the Texas Education Agency. They worked with binding machines making teacher's workbooks. These machines were loud. His supervisor was deaf
After 18 years of working there he was able to speak to him in sigh language. Wherever my dad went to work or places he frequented after that people that spoke only in sign language loved him. He wasn't great at sign language. He's not even great at talking, he stutters a lot :) but for the stereotype that deaf communities stick to their own or push people away he sure was accepted easily. When I get scared of being stuck in the middle I try to remember that. And I'm blunt, but just as insecure as the next person when it comes to wanting to belong somewhere. Life is scary, but we're all in it together, like it or not.
 
Oh see, I really need to watch my words. No filter between brain and mouth!!! Last line wasn't meant to be rude :Oops:
 
cdmeggers said:
I am deaf. But I do like hearing things going on around me, I need the noise/sounds. But I like that I can take off my HA and CI at night for bed and such, and hear nothing when sleeping, and choosing to hear or not hear at random times. Wouldn't want to be 100% hearing, ever. I like having a choice.
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100% agree! At one time I wanted to be hearing. Even underwent surgery (atresia repair) but it failed and that was the best thing in the world for me. i finally came to terms with seeing being HOH, just like being a female. It's not good, it's not bad. It just IS. I can adapt to and live a rich full life with being hoh....all I need is a full toolbox of options!
 
RBDShadow said:
I sometimes feel like I'd much rather be deaf than HOH. It seems easier to me, ya know?

Do any other HOH or hearing folks feel this way? I wonder if I'm the only one.

How about, do any deaf folks wish they could hearing than deaf?
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I didn't get a "choice" about any of my disabilities - they were there waiting for me when I got into the world. I'm used them - except the learning disability which I hate....I'm blessed to be able to hear what I do and I'm thankful for that.
 
Preference is relative, it is entirely dependent on how many decibels you have of use. I think once you have had useful hearing then the want is always to return to the norm. Personally I cannot understand ANYONE preferring not to hear, it must be based on the fact they never had much anyway. Deafened will be annoyed there are others who prefer to have what they see as an real disablement and laud it, as it makes them feel worse. I think in the demand for culture and sign and the social things, we ignore for some, the pain hearing loss causes. We need to moderate the tone accordingly, it's not fun for everyone. I've been deaf for 2 thirds of my life, but I would give anything to get my hearing back. I KNOW what I am missing. the removals of hearing aids and opt outs, yes familiar ! but doesn't change the bottom line. It's not a crime to want to hear, it maybe is to suggest hearing is rubbish anyway ! that has to be pointless a remark. Every single day deaf people are campaigning for what hearing gives others, what they sometimes don't see, is deafness cannot give them that by default. "We can do everything except hear.." That's fine assuming you do not WANT what hearing have, but we do.
 
I was born profoundly deaf. I'd actually rather be hearing despite the fact that I never had much hearing in the first place. Do not get me wrong - I love sign language, and I enjoy hanging out with deaf people. I also feel culturally enriched in ways that other people don't. However, I don't get to interact with the deaf world very often. I'm stuck in the hearing world most of the time. If I had full hearing then things would be so much easier for me - granted, I'd have to deal with different challenges as a hearing person then, but I'd probably still have an easier time as a hearing person in the hearing world than a deaf person in the hearing world.

I've also always thought that if I was a hearing person instead, I'd definitely love to be an ASL interpreter.
 
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