Many people who are Deaf are against cochlear implants because they feel it’s taking away a culture. Such people are prejudiced against people like me who use speech and no sign language when communicating. It’s my choice and I choose to do it. I am free to learn sign languages and I choose not to do it. I respect those who learn it and use it. Hey, even these guys from Paris are cool.
I don’t like or dislike a person based on their communication preference. I like a person based on his personality. Those who believe in the Deaf culture are prejudiced. I have heard stories of people who have an implant or hearing aid who remove the device whenever around the Deaf culture and use no speech. It’s a shame they have to hide how they are in everyday life. If I were in this situation, I’d keep right on wearing my implant and communicate with them in sign language (if I knew it).
It’s interesting there is a Deaf culture, but not a blind culture. After all, they do have their own language called Braille.
Off my soap box. Here’s a happy story.
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“who believe in the Deaf culture are prejudiced.”
Go easy on spewing out the sterotypes. You complained about Deaf being prejudiced… well maybe just if you stop and think this- *you* are the only one that assumed (i will even go to the extent to say that you are -prejudiced- also) that Deaf are prejudiced [against “your people” I would presume.]. That prejudice of yours only hurts yourself. I am deaf and I … somewhat believe in the Deaf culture but yet I don’t carry the accusations that you made against the Deaf. I dont prejudice against the people who choose implants or speech as a form of communication. (Hell, i even have a person who has a cochlear as my closest friend). After all, I believe it is an individual’s desicion and life. Nobody is living for you so do it for yourself. But… please don’t go around and accuse that deaf in the general community is automatically prejudiced. Don’t impose your prejudices on the others… That … just goes against what you have been preached in other entires. Dont be a hypocrite. Prehaps to avoid some hypocrisy, you can invest some time in using politically correct terms… (to rephrase “who believe in the Deaf culture are prejudiced” you can say ” _Some_ people in the Deaf culture are prejudiced”.)…
Remember the rules of Karma… if you spread the peace to your so-called enemies (the prejudiced Deaf) and they will realize their errors and grow some respect and understanding towards your desire of choosing your communition. What goes around, comes back to you. Dont drop to their level by being prejudiced back to them. Stand up. Think karma. 🙂 Spread the peace and love.
Otherwise, I am all “kudos” for you to make a difference in your life. 🙂
Kirsi of San Diego, California
Deaf since birth, mainstreamed in hearing education since 7th grade
(so i know what you were talking about when the Deaf peolpe give you the feeling of a “traitor”)
My brother was born deaf and i was the only one in the family who could communicate with him. he always got picked on at school because he could not hear. finally we got my brother the cochlear implant and now he can fit into the hearin culture and he still is considered part of the deaf culture and now he can communicate with his family. the cochlear implant is a miracle.
Kayla
I have two siblings that were both born deaf. I’ve never thought of them as being “different” and never questioned them to be any different than myself and others, aside from the fact that we spoke with our hands instead of our voices when communicating. I’ve not ever been very good at signing, which is mostly “family” sign…not ASL.
And, to make matters worse, I speak better than I am able to read sign, which I know absolutely frustrates the heck out of my siblings and their spouses…so, now…I avoid contact and keep visits when they occur, to a minimum …why?…because my sister in law is on this “Audism” kick and I find it absolutely redundant as she continually goes on and on about it as if we, the hearing culture are completely ignorant of and clueless.
Why don’t more hearing people learn how to communicate with sigh language? Because they are afraid and intimidated mostly, embarrassed at their own inability to sign or even learn it. It’s one of those things that if you don’t continually use it, you’ll lose it… and I can attest to that myself. I know my brother probably runs out of patience with me for being unclear at times, and definitely know my sister is impatient with me as well, often bluntly corrects me in front of her friends, and they all laugh…with little regard to how it may be making me feel. I find that rude. Is there a term for deaf culture being prejudice of the hearing culture and if so , what is it? I’ve and enough of this “Audism” biz… enough already, we get the point. No need to be condescending and arrogant about the hearing culture’s intelligence or lack thereof.
This is why I shy away from 2 of my siblings. With the given circumstances, can you blame me? While raised and brought up around signing and the deaf culture, I never once gave it a 2nd thought in terms of my 2 siblings as being incapable, retarded…yet I certainly feel the sting of ignorance being thrown at me nonetheless. People just need to get along and realize not everyone can nor will learn new languages…Is it so difficult to acknowledge and respect others that exist in our world and families?
Thanks for sharing your experience, Jane. Even as a deaf person, I would be frustrated in this situation. Some deaf people don’t like other deaf people simply because they speak rather than sign. This is discrimination. I believe in deciding whether you like someone based on personality, not communication style or inborn traits. I hope things change for your family.