why do hearing people think they better than us?

Tousi said:
Yeah, maybe it is as I'm 68(but going on 38).....I think it WAS a political correctness thing one time....
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You're the exact same age as my dad. Lol, he could hang out with you and you could tell him that some things have changed since the old days. :giggle:
 
Ok <deep breath>, I am about to ask a question that I am sure has be asked before by others but I cannot find a thread about it. So, I will ask here (as the subject has been brought up in previous posts) and perhaps someone can point me in the right direction to find the opinions and answers. Please don't jump on me, I am asking with the intent to learn :).

Why do some of you find the term "hearing-impaired" to be offensive? Impaired refers to a diminished capacity - drinking causes our judgement to be diminished/impaired; aging causes our sight to become diminished/impaired which is why many wear glasses; when it comes to finding my way through a new city I often refer to myself as directionally impaired; and, when one is deaf or HoH, their hearing is diminished/impaired. Yes, the word "impaired" describes a weakness or loss in a certain area but ONLY to that particular area. Everyone I have spoken to, in person, who is deaf or HoH finds the term "hearing-impaired" acceptable. Although they prefer "deaf or HoH", they are not offended by hearing-impaired just as the sight-impaired people are not offended by that term to describe their blindness. Is it that some of the deaf community feel that the word impaired has become bastardized to carry negative connotations now rather than simply mean a loss or diminishment?

I welcome all helpful and constructive opinions/feedback :)
 
Journey said:
Ok <deep breath>, I am about to ask a question that I am sure has be asked before by others but I cannot find a thread about it. So, I will ask here (as the subject has been brought up in previous posts) and perhaps someone can point me in the right direction to find the opinions and answers. Please don't jump on me, I am asking with the intent to learn :).

Why do some of you find the term "hearing-impaired" to be offensive? Impaired refers to a diminished capacity - drinking causes our judgement to be diminished/impaired; aging causes our sight to become diminished/impaired which is why many wear glasses; when it comes to finding my way through a new city I often refer to myself as directionally impaired; and, when one is deaf or HoH, their hearing is diminished/impaired. Yes, the word "impaired" describes a weakness or loss in a certain area but ONLY to that particular area. Everyone I have spoken to, in person, who is deaf or HoH finds the term "hearing-impaired" acceptable. Although they prefer "deaf or HoH", they are not offended by hearing-impaired just as the sight-impaired people are not offended by that term to describe their blindness. Is it that some of the deaf community feel that the word impaired has become bastardized to carry negative connotations now rather than simply mean a loss or diminishment?

I welcome all helpful and constructive opinions/feedback :)
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Basically - impaired kind of means broken and we do not feel we are broken. Some find it more offensive than others. But it all boils down to the fact that we do not feel we are broken, so we are not impaired.
 
Journey said:
Ok <deep breath>, I am about to ask a question that I am sure has be asked before by others but I cannot find a thread about it. So, I will ask here (as the subject has been brought up in previous posts) and perhaps someone can point me in the right direction to find the opinions and answers. Please don't jump on me, I am asking with the intent to learn :).

Why do some of you find the term "hearing-impaired" to be offensive? Impaired refers to a diminished capacity - drinking causes our judgement to be diminished/impaired; aging causes our sight to become diminished/impaired which is why many wear glasses; when it comes to finding my way through a new city I often refer to myself as directionally impaired; and, when one is deaf or HoH, their hearing is diminished/impaired. Yes, the word "impaired" describes a weakness or loss in a certain area but ONLY to that particular area. Everyone I have spoken to, in person, who is deaf or HoH finds the term "hearing-impaired" acceptable. Although they prefer "deaf or HoH", they are not offended by hearing-impaired just as the sight-impaired people are not offended by that term to describe their blindness. Is it that some of the deaf community feel that the word impaired has become bastardized to carry negative connotations now rather than simply mean a loss or diminishment?

I welcome all helpful and constructive opinions/feedback :)
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You could use blind or low vision. I don't know anybody who likes the term sight impaired either, and I am a card carrying member of the NFB.
 
Kristina, does that apply also to people who have become deaf or HoH later in life? They are not broken but their hearing has broken down, no? <not arguing your point, just looking for an expansion of your thoughts :) >

Thanks for your opinion/experience Bottesini :). I know two people who prefer sight-impaired rather than blind, perhaps they are the exception.
 
Journey said:
Kristina, does that apply also to people who have become deaf or HoH later in life? They are not broken but their hearing has broken down, no? <not arguing your point, just looking for an expansion of your thoughts :) >

Thanks for your opinion/experience Bottesini :). I know two people who prefer sight-impaired rather than blind, perhaps they are the exception.
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I was born with SNHL and had some hearing loss that could be aided up until age 43. At that point, I lost all residual hearing. I still do not feel it is an impairment.

My father had perfectly good hearing his whole life until he was in the Army during the Korean Conflict. He contracted malaria and due to high fevers, he lost the hearing in one ear. He never felt it was an impairment and was really dissatisfied with the wording of his medical discharge papers from the Army. They said it was due to his "hearing impairment".

I can't say for others, but I do remember reading it being that way here on AD.
 
Thanks Kristina, now if I am understanding you correctly, what it comes down to is that you do not differentiate between 'being impaired as a person' and 'being a person whose hearing is impaired (diminished)'. You feel that the word itself tends to apply to both together. Am I close? ... at all?
 
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Journey said:
Thanks Kristina, now if I am understanding you correctly, what it comes down to is that you do not differentiate between 'being impaired as a person' and 'being a person who's hearing is impaired (diminished)'. You feel that the word itself tends to apply to both together. Am I close? ... at all?
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Well - let's see, Since nothing on me is broken, I have no impairments.

I am total deaf, I wear glasses, I have fibromyalgia, I have neuropathy down my right side and also have more allergies than a body should have, BUT, I do not feel like I am impaired.
 
Ok, I hear you and understand :). Perhaps it just comes down to pure opinion. I have been thinking I have been missing something along the way but I guess maybe it's just that I have a hard time understanding the 'offense' when I feel no offense with the word (impaired) myself ... at least not at this point, that could change. I too am a Fibromite (diagnosed years ago when it was not heard of by the general public) and I do feel I am impaired by it in some areas. My energy, stamina and focus are not where they used to be - some days are good, I can do it all; some days, well, you know. Having myself or someone else describe me as having impaired energy or focus or to say Fibro impairs my ability to do certain things, is fine and completely accurate in my opinion. And there it is ... "opinion". I hold mine and I enjoy and benefit from learning about (and from) the opinion of others. Thanks for sharing yours :).
 
Journey.

Strongly, I identify myself as Deaf or medical term "deaf", not hearing impaired. Being deaf and hard of hearing is something we are use to, not feeling impaired at all. Yeah, I see your point when there are late deafened (people who lose their hearing later in life) people and probably want to prefer being call "hearing impaired".

Some of us, deaf and hard of hearing just don't like the word "hearing impaired" at all. Other probably don't mind or have a mindset (brainwash) by hearing people to them. :roll:
 
Hearing-impaired isn't accepted by the majority of the d/D/hh community. I even find it offensive the church even uses the hearing impaired term. I don't feel broken, I don't need saving from my d/hh status, I dont want people accepting a messed up 'hearing' version of me, I want acceptance for me just the way I am. Sadly this is more than difficult for some people.
 
I agree. I much much much prefer the term "deaf" (or "Deaf" but hearies don't hear the "D"). It is what I am.
 
Tousi said:
Yeah, maybe it is as I'm 68(but going on 38).....I think it WAS a political correctness thing one time....
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:wave: Tousi!...from one "old bag" to another "old fart"!...:giggle:...ur older than I am...:giggle:...just passing thru my 64th childhood...doncha' miss the 60's??
 
Wirelessly posted

jillio said:
Because they are socialized to believe they are.
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Exactly! Born the only one severely-deaf in my family, diagnosed at 11, my family and I were told by hearing specialists that I was HoH because it was imposed that you were not Deaf unless you could hear absolutely nothing and that you were genetically Deaf from Deaf parents. Those who used sign language were only those whose parents used sign language as their primary and native language. It was considered such a minority group that it was like a being sent to a lockup institution if you were to be referred to need to be sent to a Deaf school - that was the stigma it carried. This is back in the mid-70s. The hearing specialists made it out that hearing aids would save me from calamity and that I would be considered to be like any 'normal' kid.

These prejudiced misconceptions infuriate me! I could have avoided so many hardships and inferiority complex and lack of confidence in myself if I was presented with the option to learn sign language and to know other Deafies like myself. Throughout my entire life I was treated like I was broken and needed fixing and pitied because I wasn't healed.
 
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dj_destroyer said:
We (I) don't. Why would we? Hearing is just the opposite of not hearing. No difference really.
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I wish the hearing people who had treated me as inferior thought the same way. Could have saved me a lot of misery growing up.
 
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