how important is Deaf culture to you?

Grummer

Grummer

Active Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
14,707
Reaction score
12
I don't need 'introduction' here

this question is for everybody, including CI users,

i am curious about might you consider how important is Deaf culture to you? and why?

is it the demise of deaf clubs that worries you?
or
is it odd that deaf culture is only for youth?
or
if deaf culture only for old people?
or do or do that now talk about deaf culture in schools as a topic in classrooms?

it is real discussion or is it like teachers just says 'there is sign language but only in 'special schools'?

or
even in here in All deaf...

members here...is deaf culture only about sign?

sorry way too many questions I know...
the idea is, I want to experiment to see how many of these questions are going to be answered, not only this, but to see if Deaf culture is seriously taken or is it just hype?

is it dying?
 
I think the Deaf culture is for anyone of any age. There are older Deaf and younger Deaf in our local deaf community, and it's a nice little "family" we have here. Some wear hearing aids, I have my CI, and others are fully deaf with no hearing aids. We're all cool with each person's decision. We have deaf socials twice a month, we get together and hang out and chat/socialize, and let the ASL students practice their ASL skills with us. I really love our "family" here, they're all great people.
 
'How important is Deaf culture to me and why? That's a good question.

How important is it to me?? Admittedly I had not been a member of one in decades. Why? Life had gotten in the way. Simple as that. Mainstreaming in high school had essentially severed my ties to the deaf school and the Deaf community. Parents had forced me to find 'hearing friends'. Most of y'all know what that's like.

So how important? It is now.

I'm now middle aged. I'm not old nor am I young. Kinda in-between….from 35 to 60? Middle aged is around there anyway.

Deaf culture is only for youth?? Midde-aged? Old?

I think mostly for middle aged and older. I find that youth generally don't think about Deaf culture or clubs per se. They think they don't need it. They think it's for old folks. Youth think anybody over 30 is old lol!

I don't think the popularity of deaf clubs is declining. Maybe it is in some communities. I don't know and besides I think attendance is cyclical based on growth of population. Attendance may be down but it doesn't mean the popularity is down. Life had gotten in the way for most of us. So for many of us forums like this one are our clubs. So yeah...hey look at it this way! Online deaf forums and brick and mortar deaf clubs together are our communities!

Grummer mentioned sign and deaf culture. Is deaf culture only about sign, he asked. Wow that's a toughie!! My sign abilities are rusty but in the club, it doesn't really matter because I feel that I'm kin. I feel like I belong and I can relax and be myself. So is sign important? Yes definitely for communication purposes but so is the sense of kinship. So yes sign is a huge part of the culture along with deafness. Deafness and sign go together. Deaf and oral go together also. Deaf, sign and oral go together also. Many if not most oral/deaf pick up sign later in life. So..... yeah sign is part of it but it's not the only part of it. Sign and sense of kinship both go together.

Well, I can say in conclusion that Deaf culture IS not hype. We need this to maintain our sanity and dignity in the hearing world. Additionally if the Deaf culture hasn't been strong or even 'militant', then we wouldn't have had all the advances made during the last 10-15 years in the workplace, in the classes, etc. I wish I had all that when I was in high school! I was born too early lol!

And also I would like to point out that Deaf culture needs the militant style advocates...without those people we wouldn't be where we are now. The Deaf culture need to stay as a vibrant visible community and we need to keep the deaf clubs going. We need to keep fighting! We can't rest on our a$$es. The advances made are still not enough because the adult street level world is at times still mean and dispiriting.
 
Last edited:
I wasn't as much involved in Deaf Culture when I had a hearing girlfriend. I hope that when I have a deaf or HOH girlfriend, I would be more involved in it.
 
I have been hoh for at least 12 years now, but a dramatic loss this summer while I was sick really opened my eyes and seek out some help. Not that I had an issue, just work toward getting seen by the state as hoh.
I am new to the deaf world, but ready to explore it. So far finding nothing in my area to have actual interactions. Also learning sign now.
 
It is important to me because I have a place to go where I feel valued as a human being instead of being treated with pity or like someone who has the plague.
 
ASL is always there. Example: At DeafNation Expo, you see ASL everywhere. It's part of Deaf culture.

Deaf culture is very important to me because it involves ASL as our language. In other words, no ASL = no Deaf culture.
 
i agree about deaf clubs it shame the demise of many of them,i also felt valued when i went,it was like big sigh of feeling comfortable...
i now live in sh1t hole no deaf club apart from club for h of h elderly people there is signing choir and thats it.
i have notice over the years many signers get militant but i think it part fear that deaf as culture and group getting smaller
 
caz12 said:
i agree about deaf clubs it shame the demise of many of them,i also felt valued when i went,it was like big sigh of feeling comfortable...
i now live in sh1t hole no deaf club apart from club for h of h elderly people there is signing choir and thats it.
i have notice over the years many signers get militant but i think it part fear that deaf as culture and group getting smaller
Click to expand...

why is it that when Deaf people speak up about what they are passionate about are considered militant?

What about hearing people who force deaf children to be in the hearing world 24/7? They should be called militants as well.

then we are fair.
 
shel90 said:
why is it that when Deaf people speak up about what they are passionate about are considered militant?

What about hearing people who force deaf children to be in the hearing world 24/7? They should be called militants as well.

then we are fair.
Click to expand...


that what i meant but i put in a bad way
 
caz12 said:
that what i meant but i put in a bad way
Click to expand...

I wasn't questioning you..I was questioning the general statement that tends to get made about Deaf people who are passionate about ASL and Deaf culture.
 
shel90 said:
why is it that when Deaf people speak up about what they are passionate about are considered militant?

What about hearing people who force deaf children to be in the hearing world 24/7? They should be called militants as well.

then we are fair.
Click to expand...

When I was a child I wish I felt like I was part of the hearing world instead of being treated as an outsider . It was very lonely not having any kids play with in my neighborhood.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
When I was a child I wish I felt like I was part of the hearing world instead of being treated as an outsider . It was very lonely not having any kids play with in my neighborhood.
Click to expand...
That's why I am glad that I went to deaf school. During weekends and summers, my neighbor kids let me play with them. When there were no kids playing on the street, I felt so ****ing bored and watched TV with no captions. That was a long time ago. Today deaf kids have a better life due to internet and CC.
 
so, deaf culture is not just for old people or for the 'batimore generation'??
 
Back
Top