Productivity Geek: Love being Deaf
This is sort of a response to an article ‘Being deaf’ by David Peter.
BEING DEAF
At 36, I am a programmer who is Deaf, cannot speak a whit, use American Sign Language, and I love it. I am married to a lovely Deaf wife and have a 5-year-old son who brings me nothing but joy. If I attempted…
All that i can ever be is nothing more than myself: it bothers me when hearing people start preaching about Deaf culture.
there is a difference between educating someone and full out preaching.
it bothers me when i see hearing people who think themselves allies write things like, “Deafness is not a disability! and screw all stupid ignorant parents who force their poor deaf child to be isolated and grow up alone!”
…
Sign Language Fad/CI Viral Videos
Yesterday after seeing another Cochlear Implant activation video go viral, I got really pissed off and vented to my mom. Now Tumblr gets to see this same rant.
I found out about my hearing loss about a year ago. At that same time Switched At Birth came out. In fact, it premiered the same day my doctor realized that I needed to go for a hearing test. Ever since then, I have been trying to figure this all out. I got hearing aids, I’m learning sign language, and I’m finding my place in the Deaf community. But since Switched At Birth, it seems that sign language has become a fad. People are only learning it because of the show. I mean, great!, there’s now more Deaf awareness and sign language awareness out there because of the show, but there are also negatives. I’m so sick of seeing people say “Oh! I’m learning sign language because I want to know what they’re signing on Switched At Birth!” Sign language is a legit language tied to a legit culture. People need to start treating it with more respect. There’s a lot of work that goes into learning it, its not something you can just decide to learn on your own in your free time. Learning it takes a lot of commitment. You need to take classes, you need to go to Deaf events… if you want to become fluent. Don’t expect to become fluent just by teaching yourself out of books and online sites. Sign language is a full body language. You use your hands, your body, and facial expressions.
There have also been a lot of sign language videos going around. The first has Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman signing in it. This pissed me off. They had no facial expressions and they were signing SEE. The newest video is by The Ready Set. Its signed, but more like a jumbled mess of signed words. Why can’t these videos be signed by Deaf people? Why is everything done to “make things accessible for the Deaf” done by hearing people?
Then there’s all of these CI activation “Deaf person hearing themselves for the first time” videos that always end up going viral. They’re always accompanied by words like “They used to live in a world of silence, and now they can hear” and “this is such a miracle”. Now, I’m not against cochlear implants. I’m not entirely for parents getting cochlear implants for babies. I think that cochlear implants should be a choice. But every viral video I see about a d/Deaf person has to do with them getting a cochlear implant. Why can’t other videos go viral? Why can’t positive videos with d/Deaf people go viral? Why is it that at the Super Bowl, they didn’t show Miss Deaf America signing the National Anthem? Why is it that during The Voice when Chris Mann sang “You Raise Me Up”, they had TL Forbsberg interpreting, but the camera rarely showed her? I feel like the world is still ashamed of d/Deaf people. They much rather show us being “fixed” than showing us being ourselves and using sign language.
I almost died of laughter when I read this.
I HATE these tests.
(Source: youknowyouredeafwhen)
Hearing people: Hey, I just met you but can you teach me ASL so I can get an A???
Hearing people: Hey, I just met you but CAN. YOU. HEAR. ME. NOW???
Hearing people: Hey, I just met you but *waves hands around randomly* did I sign anything???
Hearing people: Hey, I just met you but I've always wanted to bone a cripple!
Hearing people: Hey, I just met you but you remind me of "Switched At Birth!"
Hearing people: Hey, I just met you but I wanna hear you talk for me!!!
Hearing people: Hey, I just met you
Hearing people: Hey, I just met you
