Stereotypes of the deaf and hard of hearing

I know one person who told me she thought that Helen Keller invented sign language.
 
Ariakkas said:
ima hearie, and one sterotype i see that hasn't been mentioned, is people say deaf people don't tip well.
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That stereotype, Ariakkas, would have to apply to only "church people," who are notorious for not tipping. :roll:
 
The stereotype i get (esp. from my dad!) is that: hearing aids mean u can hear everything.

Someone's already mentioned it, i know, but they don't make u hear everything!!!!! It gets annoying!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
 
tobieblue said:
I know one person who told me she thought that Helen Keller invented sign language.
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LOL that's funny. I've never heard that
 
One day I thought I saw my asl teacher so I started signing to her, it was the wrong woman and I felt stupid so I signed, "sorry wrong person" and went on my way. As she passed me she said, "dumb deaf girl" I was shocked. I said "actually I am not dumb"

Boy did she feel stupid.
 
As well she should. Too bad you couldn't have snapped a pic of her face with your cell phone.
 
That's unfortunate that that woman was ignorant enough to say that outloud. I mean it's one thing to think something like that, but another to say it. Ppl disgust me sometimes.
 
RDC_girl said:
One day I thought I saw my asl teacher so I started signing to her, it was the wrong woman and I felt stupid so I signed, "sorry wrong person" and went on my way. As she passed me she said, "dumb deaf girl" I was shocked. I said "actually I am not dumb"

Boy did she feel stupid.
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I commend you for what you said. My aunt called me "deaf and dumb" once (she taught first graders) and I told her the same thing. On a more humorous comment, I would have said, "and I believe a woman's place is at home baking cookies. Is your job done at home?" :giggle:
 
I had an experience that just underlines the fact that we need to understand that not everyone is up to speed with what we would consider negative stereotypes. I was in a cab and the Nigerian driver absolutely couldn't believe a) my job and b) that deaf people are not "dumb." Although he spoke perfect English, he didn't realize that "mute" is a more acceptable term for people who cannot speak, nor that most deaf people are not mute.

But it was a real struggle to get him to understand! It was a cultural thing, not a language thing. When I got out of the cab he actually said "I learned something today," which I thought was very nice, but it really goes to show that we need to be more tolerant of people who aren't on the same wavelength for whatever reason -- they may be willing to learn and we just don't know it.
 
There are a lot of stereotypes that vary on the location and how knowledgeable people are about deafness. Deaf people can't... work or get a job, think or get an education, talk or communicate, etc. This is sometimes because parents or school don't educate them on equality or that anyone can do anything.
 
Interpretrator said:
I had an experience that just underlines the fact that we need to understand that not everyone is up to speed with what we would consider negative stereotypes. I was in a cab and the Nigerian driver absolutely couldn't believe a) my job and b) that deaf people are not "dumb." Although he spoke perfect English, he didn't realize that "mute" is a more acceptable term for people who cannot speak, nor that most deaf people are not mute.

But it was a real struggle to get him to understand! It was a cultural thing, not a language thing. When I got out of the cab he actually said "I learned something today," which I thought was very nice, but it really goes to show that we need to be more tolerant of people who aren't on the same wavelength for whatever reason -- they may be willing to learn and we just don't know it.
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I believe that one "behind the times" article somebody posted came from Nigeria...so you can definitely see a sample of what he had probably been exposed to growing up. That says a lot about him, though, that he was open to learning--AND to admitting that he had known little on the subject. The latter is the bravest thing.
 
Rose Immortal said:
I believe that one "behind the times" article somebody posted came from Nigeria...so you can definitely see a sample of what he had probably been exposed to growing up. That says a lot about him, though, that he was open to learning--AND to admitting that he had known little on the subject. The latter is the bravest thing.
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:gpost: I couldn't have said it better, Rose!
 
Im HOH and I speak well. Ive had hearies be surprised by my speech and say I have great speech..Im like :whistle:

Sometimes I get frustrated with hearie friends who are used to me talk to me like Im a hearie (its nice to be considered as one meaning Im normal like them) and forget to face me so I can read their lips. Ive had a few speak loudly to me. Most of time I understand them and not bother to correct them becuz they will go back to that habit again--too much work to break them in heh. Same thing for those who speak too softly for me...It gets frustrating to be in the middle--between hearies and deafies :ugh2:
 
In "Mask of Benevolance" Harlan Lane gives an excellent description regarding not just sterotypes, but how deaf people were regarded.

Amongst other things he uses doctors analysis of their patients and hardly ever were positive words used to describe the patient..

Have a look on page 36, table 2 "Some traits attributed to deaf people in the professional literature." (1999 edition - Paperback)
This was long ago and I'm sure the situation improved, but there must still be traces.
 
Cloggy said:
In "Mask of Benevolance" Harlan Lane gives an excellent description regarding not just sterotypes, but how deaf people were regarded.

Amongst other things he uses doctors analysis of their patients and hardly ever were positive words used to describe the patient..

Have a look on page 36, table 2 "Some traits attributed to deaf people in the professional literature." (1999 edition - Paperback)
This was long ago and I'm sure the situation improved, but there must still be traces.
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There was an interesting study I saw a while back in the context of spinal cord injuries (paraplegics, quads, etc). To summarize the important bit from the abstract:

One hundred fifty-three emergency care providers completed the survey. ... If they sustained severe SCIs themselves, 22% of providers would want nothing done to ensure their survival, and 23% would want pain relief only. Only 18% imagined they would be glad to be alive with a severe SCI, compared with 92% of a true SCI comparison group. Seventeen percent of providers anticipated an average or better quality of life compared with 86% of the actual SCI comparison group.
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SB_GB_4ever said:
deafdyke said:
I get that a lot too......I am DEAF. I can't modulate my voice for crying out loud! I hate having a deaf voice.
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Dont ever say that i am hearing and i love deaf voices. They are cute and [have] a special tone to them. One of the things i would miss the most is my girlfriends voice.
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I feel the same about that. :h5:

ksbsnowowl said:
I actually asked my fiancee this back when we first met (she's deaf). But this stereotype does actually have logic behind it.

In some areas (specifically the State of Missouri, where I am from) it is illegal to drive while one has on headphones (such as from a walkman or ipod). The reason? It blocks more of your hearing of the events around you than does your car radio (assuming it's being played at a reasonable volume.) Although hearing is not required for one to opperate a car, you cannot deny that in some circumstances being able to hear what's going on around you can prevent accidents (such as when you are backing out of a parking spot and failed to see an approaching vehicle; he honks and you stop before hitting him).

Thus, logic would indicate that since the law does not allow one to be opperating a car while they are effectively eliminating their hearing, it would be illegal for one who cannot hear to drive as well.
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I too asked this same question to my girlfriend when we met. If it is illegal to wear headphones and in a sense be "deaf" to the outside noises... then it would only make sense to have the law be "equal" for all parties involved. I would totally rock my headphones if it was legal :( Also, I am hearing and I can't remember the last time I actually paid attention to someone blaring their horn. Horns are too overused to be of any good use.

Side question...
How come deaf drivers get a tag on their license that says they have a hearing problem? ( I know this doesn't apply to all states ) I don't remember getting a hearing test before getting my license :dunno: ... Seems unfair in my honest opinion.

As for my favorite assumptions, from the hearing world... I will have to go with:

Deaf people cannot drive (because if you can't hear then you can't steer ;) )
CI's make you hear perfectly (ofcourse untrue, if your hearing and wish to hear a simulation then go to http://www.hei.org/research/aip/audiodemos.htm )
and my all time favorite... which doesn't really apply to deaf people only is...
If you can sign, or understand sign, then you must be deaf... I have heard plenty of people say things about me and my girlfriend when we are just walking around :eek: I let them know that is very untrue, very quickly.
 
NFGTragedy said:
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CI's make you hear perfectly (ofcourse untrue, if your hearing and wish to hear a simulation then go to http://www.hei.org/research/aip/audiodemos.htm )
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I enjoyed those sound-demo's. Found them a while ago and checked all the different possibilities. The insertion depth - demo's was interesting.

But before people think that this is how it sounds, remember that it's an indication. And it leaves out a vital part of the proces... the brain.

Remember that people that lose their hearing at later age, will initially hear metallic sounds. Then they get used to it - or the brain adapts - and the sounds become familiar again.
I saw a video of a man who, after being deaf for 5 years got CI and allready quite soon after it recognised his wifes voice from 5 years ago. (And heared the voice of his 4-year old daughter for the first time...)

But the demo's do give a good idea of the different number of electrodes and insertion depth.. They are good information.
 
oops- I was trying to create a new thread and hit "reply" instead... many apologies
 
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NFGTragedy said:
I too asked this same question to my girlfriend when we met. If it is illegal to wear headphones and in a sense be "deaf" to the outside noises... then it would only make sense to have the law be "equal" for all parties involved. I would totally rock my headphones if it was legal :( Also, I am hearing and I can't remember the last time I actually paid attention to someone blaring their horn. Horns are too overused to be of any good use.
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I wonder if the assumption is that because hearing people are so attached to their hearing, that they'd be unable to cope without it as a deaf person could? ;)
 
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