Nope, my son is not handicapped. And yes, my son is deaf. How is it that he could be defined as handicapped when he has already achieved more than many of his hearing age cohort? Deafness has not stopped him from doing anything he has chosen to do. Is he different from the majority? Why of course he is because he does not hear unless he has his HA on, and even then he hears minimally compared to the hearing majority. But difference does not automatically translate to handicap. Perhaps cloggy, as a hearing person, and the originator of the term regarding the deaf in this thread, sees deafness as a handicap because he is seeing it from a hearing perspective. And perhaps you, as a late deafened adult, sees it as a handicap because you,too see it from a hearing perspective and view your hearing deficit as a loss. You were used to functioning as a hearing person, and therefore, had to readjust to functioning as a deaf person. For that reason, you most likely encountered what you perceived as limitations.
My son's ability to function, and to achieve anything his hearing peers are able to achieve, has not been limited. He has lost nothing. Therefore, without functional limitations and loss, he does not see his deafness as an impediment to his ability to achieve and lead a satisfying and productive life. So, I say again, my son is definately not handicapped. Attitude toward deafness is much more limiting than the deafness itself.
RR... - really good one...
....then it's safe to say you'll love this sense of humor too! >> here
