"Fixing" the child or not?

shel90

shel90

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I have read so many comments and statements about parents "fixing" their children when opting for a CI surgery on them and parents getting defensive about that statement from the Deaf community.

I was telling my husband about that and he looked at me with a confused expression and told me that it is fixing the children. I said that to some people it is not then he raised a very good question...


"Then what is the surgery for, then?"

Surgery has always been for the purpose of fixing something...a broken bone, broken tooth, removing foreign objects in the body, and etc.

So, if a CI surgery isn't fixing the child, then why the surgery? Should it be named something else rather than "surgery"?

I just thought it was a very interesting point of view and did a lot of thinking about the Deaf community's statement that getting a CI is "fixing" deafness and let's all be honest here...it is the truth, isn't it?

The more I think about it, the more I have to agree with the Deaf community and my husband.

That was what I was going to PM members about but I got too many requests so I just went ahead and created this thread.

It wasnt intended to offend or insult anyone.
 
Honestly? I think the CI is "trying to fix something." If a parent of a CI child doesn't want to use that term, because it sounds too eugenicist or something, then they can find another term. But no matter what the reasons ("making the child's life easier," "opening the child to mainstream language"), bottom line is they are trying to fix their child's deafness.
 
Yes, it is fixing. When I chose CI, I have referred myself as trying to fix myself so I could fit in the hearing society more.
 
A said:
Yes, it is fixing. When I chose CI, I have referred myself as trying to fix myself so I could fit in the hearing society more.
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Meaning you're ashamed & embarrassed of your deafness.

Yiz
 
yizuman said:
Meaning you're ashamed & embarrassed of your deafness.

Yiz
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See that's probably what causes so many problems...by saying stuff like that is very negative and judgemental. I know some people who have CIs but dont feel ashamed nor embarassed of their deafness.

However, you are entitled to your opinion but maybe ask next time because not everyone feels that way.

Just a heads up.
 
shel90 said:
See that's probably what causes so many problems...by saying stuff like that is very negative and judgemental. I know some people who have CIs but dont feel ashamed nor embarassed of their deafness.

However, you are entitled to your opinion but maybe ask next time because not everyone feels that way.

Just a heads up.
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I'm just saying that people feel like they have to change themselves to be more accepted by the hearing mainstream society after all of the ridiculing and poking fun of their deafness.

They should love and accept themselves for whom they are and realize how enriched the deaf culture truly is.

Teenagers can tend be cruel to the "uncool" crowd. Like they get jeered at for the way they dress, hairstyle, not getting with the fads, the choice music they listen to, how they act, walk, & talk, etc.

That includes seeing deaf teenagers signing to each other and they get mocked at by mimicking their signs and such.

Sometimes it still happens even unto adulthood.

I have no problem with those that chooses CI (but only until they turned 18 and are well informed of the pros and cons as well as counseling prior to making a final decision), but not for the reasons if they feel the stress and pressure from the mainstream hearing society that they'll be accepted if they take CI and learn to talk.

I hate it when the hearing society puts a deaf individual on the spot to feel embarrassed and ashamed of themselves. Especially when it comes from their parents that refuses to accept what they are born with "naturally" and treat them like they are broken and needs to be "fixed" as well as treating them as if they are property rather than human beings with feelings.

Yiz
 
I haven't felt ashamed about my hearing loss. In fact, I feel blessed with what I have left.
 
yizuman said:
I'm just saying that people feel like they have to change themselves to be more accepted by the hearing mainstream society after all of the ridiculing and poking fun of their deafness.

They should love and accept themselves for whom they are and realize how enriched the deaf culture truly is.

Teenagers can tend be cruel to the "uncool" crowd. Like they get jeered at for the way they dress, hairstyle, not getting with the fads, the choice music they listen to, how they act, walk, & talk, etc.

That includes seeing deaf teenagers signing to each other and they get mocked at by mimicking their signs and such.

Sometimes it still happens even unto adulthood.

I have no problem with those that chooses CI (but only until they turned 18 and are well informed of the pros and cons as well as counseling prior to making a final decision), but not for the reasons if they feel the stress and pressure from the mainstream hearing society that they'll be accepted if they take CI and learn to talk.

I hate it when the hearing society puts a deaf individual on the spot to feel embarrassed and ashamed of themselves. Especially when it comes from their parents that refuses to accept what they are born with "naturally" and treat them like they are broken and needs to be "fixed" as well as treating them as if they are property rather than human beings with feelings.

Yiz
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Okay so I'm not deep into Deaf culture but isn't there more than one way to be Deaf? Can't you be Deaf with CI? Some Deaf people might want it just for environmental sounds but might want to still use ASL and participate in Deaf events.
 
The point is... most people don't like the idea of total silent. So what they do with that silent? they fix it.
 
Yea, so if someone tells someone "You are fixing your child or yourself." and that person gets all upset saying that they are being attacked. Who is right?
 
"You are trying to fix your child's hearing" is probably something they prefer to hear. They hate the idea of fixing their child's identity.
 
shel90 said:
Yea, so if someone tells someone "You are fixing your child or yourself." and that person gets all upset saying that they are being attacked. Who is right?
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The deaf child stands in the right and should not be attacked by being shown nonacceptance.

Anyone forgotten how deaf people was treated in Germany when Hitler was in power? They all were murdered!

Maybe it won't happen again, but what if the hearing society decides they want Congress to pass a law that makes it mandatory for every deaf child be implanted? What then?

Just a thought,

Yiz
 
A said:
You are trying to fix your child's hearing is probably something they prefer to hear. They hate the idea of fixing their child's identity.
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You assume that's what they want, but are you really sure?

Yiz
 
No, I am not sure. I don't know know how they word it, so that's why I say probably.
 
yizuman said:
The deaf child stands in the right and should not be attacked by being shown nonacceptance.

Anyone forgotten how deaf people was treated in Germany when Hitler was in power? They all were murdered!

Maybe it won't happen again, but what if the hearing society decides they want Congress to pass a law that makes it mandatory for every deaf child be implanted? What then?

Just a thought,

Yiz
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I would not be in support of it at all.
 


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