You’ve seen the first of the two-series blog… here’s the second!
These situations have happened to me, or people I know and they are sometimes a reminder as to why we celebrate Deaf Awareness Week and raise awareness of deafness in the hearing world!
Telling a hearing person you’re D/deaf…
*SHOCK HORROR… HOW DO WE COPE?*
We’re not aliens! We are friendly species from planet Earth like you, except we just can’t hear!
If we can’t use the phone, we CAN’T use the phone!
Please don’t ask us to ring, or suggest putting it on loudspeaker, or turn the volume up! We still won’t be able to hear!
I’ve had this many times with my bank, health services and many others… sometimes I wonder if I should pretend I can use the phone so I’ll end up saying “what?” over again, until they finally realise!
Talking to the support worker or interpreter than to the D/deaf person…
Hello… I’m still here! If you didn’t know, it’s my appointment, they’re only there to help!
“This is Ellie, she’s deaf”
Yeah… please don’t introduce us like this! You wouldn’t say… “This is Josh, he has one leg” or “this is Maisie, she’s gay”… would you?
Being D/deaf is not all who we are, it’s just a part of us. If you say it like that, it’s like a label. We will choose if and when we wish to tell someone!
Maybe say… “This is Ellie, she’s wonderful, bubbly, and outgoing”… sounds better?
“I know Sign Language!”… Makes up some random signs
Leave it to the professionals… or take up some classes!
Would you like a Braille menu?
Sure… I can try and understand it!? But realistically… no!
“Can you hear me?”…
Ironically, no… But maybe!
Special assistance… “Would you like a wheelchair?”
What part of ‘my ears don’t work’, means my legs don’t either? Please explain, I’m all ears!
Do you know my auntie’s neighbour? She’s deaf!
No… Just because I’m deaf doesn’t mean we’re all best friends!
“Can you lipread/understand what they’re saying?”
No… I will not spy on other people’s conversations for you!
Have you experienced any of these situations? I’d love to hear your stories! Please comment below!
I totally agree with what you say having experienced similar comments. The funny thing this last few weeks is that my father who has gone deaf with old age and wears hearing aids has the TV volume turned up so loud that it’s painful for me as a born deaf person with hearing aids. The amplification doesn’t make it easier for me to hear speech! Father doesn’t understand this at all. I told him he needs new hearing aids as old ones no longer as efficient for him. He understands speech on TV if volume levels at highest point but I don’t! He doesn’t get it that I can hear voices on TV even at deafening levels that it hurts my ears but I still can’t understand the speech most of the time! I’m amazed on the other hand that he understands speech when volume turned up and I wonder why I struggle still? I still need to lip read to combine with sounds to understand speech. Louder isn’t better though as it’s like sunlight that’s too bright that I can’t see!