Deaf or hoh?

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deafdyke

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I've noticed that a lot of people here tend to "switch hit" when it comes to the terms they use to identify themselves. I've seen some people here ID as deaf but also call themselves hoh. What terms do you use? I go between the two, even thou I am only medically hoh (moderate to severe loss) I've always called myself deaf since I was a little kid, and sometimes use hoh. (b/c I'm functionally hoh with hearing aids) One term I really don't like is "hearing impaired" b/c it sounds like I'm broken. Yes, I know I'm lacking normal hearing, but it does still sound like I think of myself as being "unable"
 
my label.

I call my self "hard of hearing" , but it depends on my audiance. If I'm talking to a deaf or hoh person I will use that term. But if I'm talking to a hearing person I'll some times use "hearing impared" (I don't like it either, but in the hearing world, "hard of hearing" can be just as bad)

My hearing loss streaches from moderate, to serious/severe, back to moderate and then a sharp drop to profound. That's with my good ear. with my other ear I have absolutely no hearing.

in some ways people who call themselves deaf have better hearing than I do.

The other day at a job interview I mentioned I have "a little bit of a hearing loss" No I diddn't exactly lie... who's to say how much a little bit it. I don't want to make myself look too different too soon but I really need to stop fooling myself.

Some times though I feel like being completely deaf would be easier. people wouldn't expect me to understand everything I hear because I wouldn't hear anything.
 
I tell almost everyone who ask that I'm hard of hearing. Speaking of hard of hearing, I hate it when I think I heard a sound coming from some direction when, in fact, it came from the opposite direction. :o
 
It usually depends on who I'm talking to. If I'm talking to another deaf person, then I identify myself as hard-of-hearing. However, if I'm talking to a hearing person who doesn't really know the difference between hard-of-hearing and deaf... I just say that I'm deaf. Heh!
 
I think Vampy has a point there - it really does depend on whom you are talking to.

I've been told that with my CI, I function on a hard of hearing level...so lately, I've been using that term more often than I do "deaf." I was born deaf - and once the processor comes out at night, there is absolutely no sound at all. My having a CI has not made me anything other than deaf.

However, it would seem that some people (not pointing fingers at anyone here, TRUST ME) would be more receptive to hearing "I'm hard of hearing" than they would "I'm deaf." I think the reason for this is, some folks associate the word "deaf" with sign language, moving hands and very little to no verbal communication. Hard of hearing, to them, might come across as "Oh, I'll just have to slow down and speak a little louder..." Make any sense?

There's also no "association" with hard of hearing. For example. Deaf and dumb. Only true in extremely rare cases - but others just don't understand that or realize it.

So - "hard of hearing" for me - and I read lips...and be careful - I hear more than you think, sometimes. ;)
 
I'm HOH but i hate that term so i say deaf. I hate the term "hearing impaired" too - it sounds like i'm mentally handicapped or something worse.
 
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