Deafness is the Part of Who You Are

Deafness is the Part of Who Are You.

  • Strongly Agreed

    Votes: 21 47.7%

  • Agreed

    Votes: 15 34.1%

  • Neutral

    Votes: 5 11.4%

  • Disagreed

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Strongly Disagreed

    Votes: 2 4.5%

  • Yes and No - How so and why?

    Votes: 1 2.3%
  • Total voters
    44
KarissaMann05

KarissaMann05

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"I Don't Accept I'm Deaf but I Accept Who I Am"
By Jessie aka KarissaMann05

All right... Since I noticed some comments from either inside or outside of all internet types… Common comments I see them so often... It’s so quite annoying me since I keep myself down for so long a time, now it’s time for me to make some notes about their comments…

For examples -
- “…I’m not proud of and/or not happy with my deafness (but I accept who I am and I’m fine with it)…”
- “…I’m not happy that I’m deaf (but I accept who I am)…”
- “… I hate deaf people (and deaf community). I’m not happy with my deafness and I’m not proud of it. (But I accept who I am so I’m fine with it)…”
- “... I hate deaf community, and yadda yadda yadda ... But I accept who I am.”
- Go on and go on and over and all over again... Many comments I used to read them...

Okay... I greatly respect their opinions about themselves and their deafness and, they “accepted” themselves for who “they” are. That’s all right. But, let me ask you some basic questions...

- If you are not happy and/or proud of yourself because of your deafness. Right?
- If you are deaf and you don’t accept it, right?
- If you truly hate the D/deaf community and D/deafies yet YOU accept yourself for who you are. Right?
- If you really hate yourself because you are just a deaf person yet... you like yourself for what or who you are. Right?
- If you are not truly happy with D/deaf world, do you really want to be in earth? Not eyeth, right?
- There are many common questions that I’d asked for.

If you answered a few, some, many, or all of those questions from above is a yes that I totally understood. However... Once you say a yes to these, to me (in my personal opinion), you are really ashamed of yourself and you do not accept who “you” are. Why? Because it is not make any sense to me. That is one main reason why I respectfully disagree with their common comments.

Once you have a deafness, it is actually part of who you are. If you just simply say you don’t like, or you are not happy, or don’t accept yourself because of your deafness... yet you accept or love yourself for who you are... then, please take no offense, I truthfully consider you are a liar. Seriously... I meant, how do you accept yourself for who you are if you just don’t accept that you are deaf? It does sound so low self esteem and it is also an ashamed feeling of a deaf person. Yes, there is a hole in their hearts.

If you are a deaf person, that IS who you are. If you are not a pride deaf ...yet you are (really) happy with your deafness and who you are. That is so GREAT! It does make sense to me pretty much, honestly. Or you could say, “Sure, deafness may sucks. But I am actually lucky to have it for some reasons. I enjoy my life and I love to cook food (and etc etc). That’s me.” Or you can make some positive comments about your deafness and yourself as who you really are. That’s very good thing to hear. Indeed, it’s totally a rational comment.

Well... If you are really not happy and/or accept that you are deaf or you hate yourself for it or whatever it is... I really think you should go and grab either hearing aids or CIs, and be hearing person as long as you are happy for who “you” are, besides, you should forget your own deafness. Otherwise, don’t you want to feel so ashamed, do you? Well, it will make more sense because... how it is. You just can not go and say a such thing like a common comment from above that I list. Because it IS NOT any make sense.

I refuse to say like that... but for what if I do, I’d rather to hate myself for who I truly am than love myself for who I am really not.

Thoughts? You can agree or disagree about that. You are more welcome to discuss about this thread. =)

Importance Note: No flaming or bashing, please. Keep this thread clean, thank you. :ty:
 
I wholefully accepted who I am and what I am. I don't really dwell on my disability as my shortcoming but as my strength/gift. I have seen a certain type of people who are "prideful deaf" which can be quite annoying and shallow-minded. and yes there are other type of deaf people who hates about being deaf as a reason for their shortcomings and missed opportunities.

well what can I say? I certainly hope for people who are struggling with this issue to be able to resolve it within themselves..... and it is ok to ask for help. :cool2:
 
I'm strongly agree with you. I'm not accept my deafness for reason. I was so depress and isolate. I never hear anything since I was born. I wish I would be hearing for natural. But I accepted it. I will receive CI to hear anyways. I'm not accept being usher syndrome myself. I don't want to be blind in future.

I'm honest. When I was in High School. I noticed many deaf people said "DEAF PRIDE" "DEAF POWER". I used to word say "Deaf Pride" in sketch draw book. I changed my mind. I don't use word it anymore. I felt so sad and depress. I am still not proud of deaf myself.

For example: Deaf Pride, Deaf Power, Deaf Rock would be same with Blinds Pride, Blinds Power, Blinds Rock. How would blind people feel?? If no they are not accept who are themselves with blinds. That how I feeling.
 
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Absolutely agree!

I was thinking the same thing the other day about "Deaf Pride", and "Deaf Power" It does get annoying when one hollering those two words. :roll: and being accepted by those who have Deaf pride means you must learn their language or else you will be ignored.

When I first attended the Deaf Community years ago, I was completely ignored and was basically shunned after being asked if I attended Deaf schools which I did not. I told them I was mainstreamed all my life and I was raise orally. Some noticed I wasn't fluent in ASL as I sign SEE also wored hearing aids in both ears, I speak very well also I lipread quite well too.

I felt so ashamed. I mean why is it so wrong for me to want to hear, speak etc?, why ASL is the only acceptable form of communication in the Deaf Community and why I have to attend Deaf school just because I'm deaf? I almost feel as though I am not deaf enough to be accepted by other deaf people.

I wish I can post more but timing is limit for me as I have to leave....but I'll be back
 
Well, as mainstreamed all the way, I never really thought about it until I joined AD.

So I guess I was not proud deaf or anything. I think maybe I am developing a little deaf identity here.
 
I once thought that everyone was deaf. But when a person said, "it's because you're deaf." I was shocked to learn the truth but no regrets. Never had one.
 
a few of you guys are misunderstood; it's not about "Deaf Power" thread, it's about "I'm Not Accept My Deafness, Yet I Accept Who I Am = Nonsense" thread. I hope that is clear. ^_^
 
~♥~Pinky~♥~ said:
I'm strongly agree with you. I am not proud of being deaf myself. I was so depress and isolate. I never hear anything since I was born. I wish I would be hearing for natural. But I accepted it. I will receive CI to hear anyways. I'm not accept being usher syndrome myself. I don't want to be blind in future.

I'm honest. When I was in High School. I noticed many deaf people said "DEAF PRIDE" "DEAF POWER". I used to word say "Deaf Pride" in sketch draw book. I changed my mind. I don't use word it anymore. I felt so sad and depress. I am still not proud of deaf myself.

For example: Deaf Pride, Deaf Power, Deaf Rock would be same with Blinds Pride, Blinds Power, Blinds Rock. How would blind people feel?? If no they are not accept who are themselves with blinds. That how I feeling.
Click to expand...

If you are not happy with your deafness and are not so proud of it, but you accept who you are. That is mean you are ashamed of yourself because you are not happy with your own deafness and you did say you wish you want to be normal like a hearing person. To me, you do have a low self-esteem because you don't accept a happiness if you have a deafness.

Take a look from the first post -
- “…I’m not happy that I’m deaf (but I accept who I am)…”
Click to expand...
- If you are not happy and/or proud of yourself because of your deafness. Right?
Click to expand...

Unless you feel happy/love that deafness is part of who you are while you don't have any pride about it. That is wonderful. :)
 
KarissaMann05 said:
a few of you guys are misunderstood; it's not about "Deaf Power" thread, it's about "I'm Not Accept My Deafness, Yet I Accept Who I Am = Nonsense" thread. I hope that is clear. ^_^
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing that up..


I grew up hating my deafness but since learning ASL and getting involved with the Deaf community, I am not bothered by my deafness. I dont even think about it on a daily basis like I used to. My life is so much better that way. Whew!!! :)
 
I don't hate deafness. I am just fine with it, and always have been.:)
 
After I lost my hearing, I experienced a great deal of anger. However, I think that was due to not having any alternative communication skills or exposure to the Deaf and deafblind communities. Once I learned tactile sign and other alternative communication techniques and joined the Deaf/deafblind communities, I began to accept my deafblindness as something that was just a part of who I was. Now that I have CIs, I still consider my deafblindness to be a part of who I am.
 
I have been deaf since birth. It is who I am. It is my identity. I am proud to be a deaf person (this is in no way to put others down). What I am saying is, I am not ashamed to be a deaf person. I'm not like one of the deaf militants that over-exceeds the "pride" of being deaf by putting others down to a radical point.

Being deaf is all I have only known to be. So, no, I don't hate the deafness. The only thing I hate about it is when there are a lot of divided groups that tries to shun one another out of the picture.
 
I don't care for the condition but it doesn't overwhelm me. It just IS.
 
Ohh, Thanks for clarification KarissaMann05..

Well, I'm not proud of being deaf but I learn to live with it because that's who I am.
 
While deafness is a part of me, it isnt' all that is there to me. I've never been one for an in your face pride kind of thing as that can be alienating to to others. Would I have chosen to be deaf? I don't think so but since that's what I am, I'll just have to accept that and live with it the best I can.
 
I vote strongly agreed. I accept myself being deaf no matter what to live to the fullest as best I can as a Deaf person. Sometimes over the years I had many roller coaster rides trying to struggle in the hearing world. It has never been easy for me but I am very happy to be Deaf and very proud of it. All I have to do is to educate the hearing about my Deafness, and my Deaf Culture plus trying to tell them what I need for accommodations to be employed for my Deafness like ASL interpreters, notetakers, and CART interpreters. I am just happy in my own quiet world with books, close captioned T.V., and read online on computer. :D
 
I strongly agree it is a big part of my life it is who I am.
 
Angel said:
Ohh, Thanks for clarification KarissaMann05..

Well, I'm not proud of being deaf but I learn to live with it because that's who I am.
Click to expand...

Not surprised here... your attitude affects you so.

But sure enough, that is your honest answer. :cool:
 
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