Oh no! I hope it isn't one of my posts that scared you. I posted some things about Gallaudet and some of the discrimination that happens there.
Please don't worry! If you have the opportunity to be with people who are like you, EVEN if you don't sign--GO FOR IT. Look, in June 2010, I started my first ASL class. A few weeks later, I was only able to sign the most ridiculously simple things. I could sign my name, things I liked, how are you, soda, tea, school, etc. It didn't matter though, because every single person I met was really patient with me and fingerspelled signs I didn't know (which would help me learn more ASL). Not a single person discriminated against me for being raised oral and mainstreamed. In fact, not all of them were raised with ASL and we had a common connection.
I wrote what I said about Gallaudet specifically because I had a bad experience with one girl, and I heard horror stories about discrimination there. But the thing is, everyone is right when they say that discrimination is everywhere. Fortunately, in the Deaf community, people who discriminate against oral deafies are very few. You're hard pressed to find those people, but if you see them, just move on to better people. Obviously I'm over my fear of Gallaudet now, and if I see any crazy people who tell me I'm not deaf enough because I grew up oral or whatever, I'm gonna just ignore it and keep going on with my life. If they are closed-minded, they're not worth your time.
Now, since last year, I've found that I'm actually way more comfortable with deaf people than I am with hearing people. It's just easier to communicate and requires no explanation for why I am the way I am. You might find the same thing, but you have to give the Deaf community a chance. They don't bite. I was scared when I first started entering the community, but now I feel like I'm so much happier. DO IT!
