Proposal for Audism policy to be placed in the guidelines

[deafskeptic]

people sure do have this obsession with good speech when you are deaf. It's tiring as I hear it ALL the time. At first, they thought I was from a foriegn country because I have an accent and wanted to know where I'm from. I tell them I'm from here and I'm deaf. It's fine that they tell I have good speech because they feel bad about commenting my accent in the first place. But there other times they didn't say anything about my accent. They didn't even know I was deaf and as soon as I tell them, they tell me I have good speech or I speak very well . I know they are just impress that a deaf person can speak because other times, people make me repeat because they couldn't understand what I was saying. people told me I talk funny too.

When they just say, "You have good speech" and don't make a big deal out of it, I'll just chalk it up to being well meaning. But when they go on and on about it, it will tick me off.

I haven't had anyone ask me if I'm from a foreign country since I got my CI but I sure do remember one lady that I worked with who thought I was from Norway because of my speech.

 

[Lighthouse77]

Any attitude that sees oneself as better than someone because they can hear whether it is a deaf person with a CI or a hearing person, is audist.

yes, Lissa, I don't think you would like it one bit if your hearing friends bragged how hearing they are compare to you.

 

[Tousi]

When they just say, "You have good speech" and don't make a big deal out of it, I'll just chalk it up to being well meaning. But when they go on and on about it, it will tick me off.

I haven't had anyone ask me if I'm from a foreign country since I got my CI but I sure do remember one lady that I worked with who thought I was from Norway because of my speech.

Oh, not because of your blondness? *ducking and running away*

 

[deafskeptic]

I have always believed accessibility is a must for everyone.

CI is accessibility.

CI allows you to hear & communicate.

Your CI has not made you an audist because you do not tout you are better than us. You are genuine in your interest to learn ASL.

You request several times in open forum and in PMs ; asking for transcripts for the videos so you can be involved in this community.

You educate other members about the CI and you educate those who asks for information about the CI.

This I appreciate about the CI users in our AD community.

Those who do not have a CI actually have the b@lls to posts threads asking us if we treasure our hearing, wondering if we preserve our hearing.. this is going against the grain of what our community is.

This is what an Audist is. Hope this clarifies your question.

You are not an audist- way far from it.

I remember that thread well. :roll: Although I have wished that I had audiogram like every five years after the age of 19. The only reason why I wish that is that I have reason to believe that I started to lose hearing at age 19. I guess I'll just always wonder. But otherwise, I wouldn't have done anything about it.

 

[deafskeptic]

Oh, not because of your blondness? *ducking and running away*

My natural hair color is nearly black. That's why I remember the lady. :P

 

[Lighthouse77]

When they just say, "You have good speech" and don't make a big deal out of it, I'll just chalk it up to being well meaning. But when they go on and on about it, it will tick me off.

I haven't had anyone ask me if I'm from a foreign country since I got my CI but I sure do remember one lady that I worked with who thought I was from Norway because of my speech.

yes, they are being well meaning. So I don't ever say anything to them other than say thanks and move on with my life. What's so tiring is that just about majority of new people say this to me when tell them I'm deaf.... you don't hear them telling other hearing people that they have a good speech for a hearing person. That's why I wonder what their obsession with good speech and deaf.

 

[Moon-child]

Wow, reading all these posts has totally helped me to understand what an audist is and provide multiple examples of its action. I think I learned some new things today, thank you.

 

[Lighthouse77]

Audism is also when doctors don't see ASL as an option to help deaf people communicate and Cochlear implant is because they are about "fixing". There are several ways to fix communication barrier, CI does not need to be the only option.

 

[KristinaB]

I have learned a lot while reading this whole post over and over. I think I totally understand the concept of "audist" views. I hope I have never come across that way. Like Mrs. B, I too hated my hearing aids and all the crap when dealing with them, pain, earaches, weird sounds, and just general "they aren't working right" issues. I am very happy with my silent world and I am loving ASL more and more as I learn it. I feel that ALL children when diagnosed with any sort of a hearing problem should get sign language learning no matter where they live (ASL, BSL, AUSLAN and whatever else), along with their oral skills. That would have benefited me, Shel and countless others who have lost more and more of their hearing as they got older.

I ask one thing of those who will do this, if any of my posts start sounding "audist-like" please, please let me know.

 

[Tousi]

Audism is also when doctors don't see ASL as an option to help deaf people communicate and Cochlear implant is because they are about "fixing". There are several ways to fix communication barrier, CI does not need to be the only option.

Depending on the doctor; it is probably just plain ignorance. They don't teach that stuff in med schools so we, as a community, need to educate them. Need brochures in baby delivery rooms throughout all of America!

 

[Lissa]

Audism is also when doctors don't see ASL as an option to help deaf people communicate and Cochlear implant is because they are about "fixing". There are several ways to fix communication barrier, CI does not need to be the only option.

I don't get why doctors, proffesionals and parents think sign language is NOT an option when their child would not wear their CI during swimming, funfair, bedtime, showing/bath. They would still need to communicate with their child, so sign language would be perfect!

 

[Tousi]

I don't get why doctors, proffesionals and parents think sign language is NOT an option when their child would not wear their CI during swimming, funfair, bedtime, showing/bath. They would still need to communicate with their child, so sign language would be perfect!

Basically it is because they don't know any better. All they see is the MEDICAL view of deafness.

 

[Lighthouse77]

I don't get why doctors, proffesionals and parents think sign language is NOT an option when their child would not wear their CI during swimming, funfair, bedtime, showing/bath. They would still need to communicate with their child, so sign language would be perfect!

That is very true. I was reading one blog how a mother is depressed because her child can't do what hearing kids can do when taking swimming lesson. I wanted to tell her, YES, he can! He can communication with ASL

 

[saywhatkid]

It is beginning to sound like a witch hunt.

Criteria for membership should probably be spelled out more clearly.

Agreed.

I would prefer to see a ban for assholes and idiots. Those "do you love your hearing" topics tend to paint a great big "I'm audist" bullseye on people. I find myself steering away from those topics. Rather than going toe to toe with an audist, why not ignore them? Just my

Added comment: I voted "unsure" because I would prefer to see the planned rule, if there were a rule created, before I agree with it. I do not like censorship, even if I disagree strongly with the poster.

 

[Bottesini]

Wirelessly posted (Sidekick LX: Mozilla/5.0 (Danger hiptop 4.6; U; rv:1.7.12) Gecko/20050920)

Thank you, Mrs. Bucket.

Yes, please, we need that. Personally, I don't feel comfortable to share my experience stories here anymore after I see posts were depressing anywhere else. I stopped visiting Deaf Interests a long while ago...

I feel deaf/Deaf members need something they can post it without fear of offending anyone or being slammed down. =/

I agree very strongly with this!

 

[Dixie]

I think it's a Norway thing.. or a dutch thing to have blond hair and blue eyes is what made him say it.

No, on a scientific level it is generally a European thing. What happened is in the natural human genome most humans are to have dark skin, dark hair, dair eyes.

Over the course of time, certain things happened, the human population bottle necked, that left fewer breeding options, but to keep humanity alive some clans or groups had to line breed or interbreed to produce off spring. As we moved out of Africa and into Europe, the climate was different and we had to adapt by having to wear animal furs for warmth and protection from the environment, often our ancestors had to wear these heavy skins year round which meant the pigments of the human skin never saw the sun. Over a course of generations, this lack of light on the skin of humans living in Europe, especially in extreme northern Europe caused a mutation in the DNA and in the mRNA. This genetic coding error rewrote the code for these people to have light to no pigmentation causing fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Red heads have a further genetic coding error causing them to have no skin pigmentation, extremely sensitive skin, blue eyes, and of course red hair. This is NOT the same genetic coding error that causes Albinism, this is a different, much slighter one.

Now you've learned something new.

 

[Lighthouse77]

No, on a scientific level it is generally a European thing. What happened is in the natural human genome most humans are to have dark skin, dark hair, dair eyes.

Over the course of time, certain things happened, the human population bottle necked, that left fewer breeding options, but to keep humanity alive some clans or groups had to line breed or interbreed to produce off spring. As we moved out of Africa and into Europe, the climate was different and we had to adapt by having to wear animal furs for warmth and protection from the environment, often our ancestors had to wear these heavy skins year round which meant the pigments of the human skin never saw the sun. Over a course of generations, this lack of light on the skin of humans living in Europe, especially in extreme northern Europe caused a mutation in the DNA and in the mRNA. This genetic coding error rewrote the code for these people to have light to no pigmentation causing fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Red heads have a further genetic coding error causing them to have no skin pigmentation, extremely sensitive skin, blue eyes, and of course red hair. This is NOT the same genetic coding error that causes Albinism, this is a different, much slighter one.

Now you've learned something new.

I was talking about the stereotyping. and no, that's something "new" I learned. I knew about that for a while... .

 

[Lighthouse77]

btw, I wonder how many of you feel when a hearing parent come here for our advice, and other hearing parents tend to jump right in and give them suggestions and knowledges but you don't ever see them in other threads.. just whenever a new hearing parent come here.

 

[shel90]

btw, I wonder how many of you feel when a hearing parent come here for our advice, and other hearing parents tend to jump right in and give them suggestions and knowledges but you don't ever see them in other threads.. just whenever a new hearing parent come here.

To me, it shows that these people dont really care for the AD community. Like Mrs. Bucket said, we are a part of a community and people who only come in here whenever a new parent comes in here asking for our advice dont seem to be interested in being part of this community.

 

[Fiery]

Eek. So many people have so much to say on the topic! I hesitate even to post, but, still, here I go.

If an Audism policy is implemented, I think a very clear definition of the term should be included, as well as what is not acceptable amid the policy.

There seems to be much, much more to Audism than I ever suspected; I'm ignorant. I will probably screw up because of it. I have many questions, and I'm here BECAUSE I want to garner a better understanding of the Deaf community and world. However, I'm much more likely not to upset anyone if I have a good idea from the start what won't be tolerated.

I mean, I already know better than to harrass anyone (not that I want to!) and other common sense no-nos, but there are some things I might miss simply because I didn't grow up in the culture. So, for the sake of those who want to AVOID being an Audist jerk, if you implement the policy, please make it clear!