hearies attempting to assimiliate into Deaf culture

A

apathrev

Guest
I've been wanting to make this thread for the past day, so here is the manifestation of my collected thoughts from the past day.

I've seen threads in which many deaf persons agreed that their culture is something to be shared with everyone. My question is, how do you feel about the hearies that not only attempt to assimilate into the deaf community, but even emulate characteristics. For example, in my ASL class, there is a woman who uses the sign for applause whenever the class cheers for something, she makes generalizations such as "deaf people are wonderfully nice, generous, and gracious people." This just has me raising an eyebrow and fingerspelling "W T F." Another example, a supervisor at the call center I work at insists that relay is for everybody, including hearing people, and she constantly uses the phrase "smile." Again, I'm not referring to the people who are actually part of the community, but the outsiders who attempt to copy deaf culture, or assimilate, I think to the point of where they want people to think they're deaf. I actually know of cases where hearing people have bought devices like vibrating alarm clocks, door lights, and even use close captions. How do you feel about these people? Do you think its pathetic? Do you empathize with them?
 
If a person wants to pretend to be deaf, that's his or her prerogative. I can't imagine why they would want to, but they certainly can if they wish.

That said, if he or she is not actually involved in a deaf community, I would avoid interacting with him or her. I don't have a problem with a person who is hearing being involved with people who are deaf... heck, I'd encourage it, as the more the merrier. But in terms of a person who is hearing pretending to be deaf? That I just can't understand... A person who is hearing will not understand what it is like to be deaf or hh, and why they would go through the trouble of observing so much that they can emulate it (albeit still with hearing) is beyond me. Do people really care that much?

If a person is hearing, he or she gains nothing by pretending to be physically deaf, except perhaps pity if he or she is very good at acting it. And I imagine that that would be the only motivation for a person who is hearing to pretend to be deaf; desire for pity. And as we know, that may come from depression... which should be treated by a qualified mental health professional...

As for a hearing person using consumer products typically aimed at deaf people (TTYs, vibrating alarm clocks, etc.), I say let them spend their money however they wish. They earned it, let them use it. I'm sure some people could make an argument that vibrating alarm clocks might be better for some hearing people than audio alarm clocks are. I know some people that are hearing that sleep right through their alarm every day... but if you poke them lightly even once they'll be up. Maybe they should be using vibrating alarms...?
 
They can do it if they wanna cuz "perfect hearing" in today's world is 50% cuz the other half's total BS! :laugh2:
 
I have no problem with hearing people wanting to act like deaf people. However, I do not like it when hearing people use the word "deaf" when referring to deaf people in some ways.

I had a psychology professor who did it to us before. The class was Psychology of Perception. The current topic was hearing. She had something that made noise and was demostrating to the class how a person can tell where the sound was coming from. She had a hearing person sit in the front of the classroom with her eyes closed. The professor would make noise on different sides of the student and the student would point in the direction that the noise was coming from. Later, the professor said... "Okay, you know that deaf people like those NTID people... *points at the deaf students in class* ... can't hear well. I'm going to show you." She then called up a deaf guy to sit in front. She started making noises and saying, "See? He's deaf. He can't hear anything." Jeez.
 
Well what about hearies who use ASL/Sign as a primary language due to other disabilties? I have to say...I like the moms/families of dhh kids who get all involved in the deaf community....that's a GOOD thing!
As for the using specialized equipment, it's just nondisabled people realizing that perks for people with disabilties can benifit those without disabilties.Like curb cuts for those in wheelchairs....they benifit people on bikes and moms with strollers. Shake awakes are AWESOME for roommate situtions.....I introduced my hearie friends to them, and they LOVE them! Also saw a Sonic Boom alarm clock in Sharper Image......thought that was pretty cool!
 
No, not this specific supervisor who is insisting it is ok. As for having speech disorders, that is why TRS providers offer HCO services.
 
cental34 said:
But come on, hearing people using relay?! That's just pathetic.
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Yes that is pathetic for hearies to be using the relay services. I guess they just don't feel like using their voices to talk over the phones eh? If there is nothing wrong with their speech then they should use their own phones to prevent the relay operators from tying up whenever a deaf person tries to call through the relay services.
 
BlueButterfly said:
Yes that is pathetic for hearies to be using the relay services. I guess they just don't feel like using their voices to talk over the phones eh? If there is nothing wrong with their speech then they should use their own phones to prevent the relay operators from tying up whenever a deaf person tries to call through the relay services.
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Bingo. And I've heard the excuse that hearies should be able to use relay since it is free. Well, most cell phone companies offer free nights and weekends to talk, so there is not amicable reason why a perfectly capable hearing person should be using relay.
 
deafdyke said:
Well what about hearies who use ASL/Sign as a primary language due to other disabilties? I have to say...I like the moms/families of dhh kids who get all involved in the deaf community....that's a GOOD thing!
As for the using specialized equipment, it's just nondisabled people realizing that perks for people with disabilties can benifit those without disabilties.Like curb cuts for those in wheelchairs....they benifit people on bikes and moms with strollers. Shake awakes are AWESOME for roommate situtions.....I introduced my hearie friends to them, and they LOVE them! Also saw a Sonic Boom alarm clock in Sharper Image......thought that was pretty cool!
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Yeah where can i get a shake awake? I can wake up to my alarm but it has to be SOOOOOOOOOOOO loud.
 
cental34 said:
I've been wanting to make this thread for the past day, so here is the manifestation of my collected thoughts from the past day.

I've seen threads in which many deaf persons agreed that their culture is something to be shared with everyone. My question is, how do you feel about the hearies that not only attempt to assimilate into the deaf community, but even emulate characteristics. For example, in my ASL class, there is a woman who uses the sign for applause whenever the class cheers for something, she makes generalizations such as "deaf people are wonderfully nice, generous, and gracious people." This just has me raising an eyebrow and fingerspelling "W T F." Another example, a supervisor at the call center I work at insists that relay is for everybody, including hearing people, and she constantly uses the phrase "smile." Again, I'm not referring to the people who are actually part of the community, but the outsiders who attempt to copy deaf culture, or assimilate, I think to the point of where they want people to think they're deaf. I actually know of cases where hearing people have bought devices like vibrating alarm clocks, door lights, and even use close captions. How do you feel about these people? Do you think its pathetic? Do you empathize with them?
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Oh God, yeah! I know someone like that - like she tries to hard to be part of the community but it's so fake. and she constantly says, "WHAT!?! you have to speak up there are certain words that i can't say" WHATEVER. Yeah it is pretty pathetic it's like ppl want attention for it or something. Sure its' cool if you wanna work in the community coz it interests you, that's cool, but don't emulate it and say you understand it. I know they can to a degree, but to be deaf or HOH is something entireley different. It's not all fun and games like some people think.
 
Breezy said:
Oh God, yeah! I know someone like that - like she tries to hard to be part of the community but it's so fake. and she constantly says, "WHAT!?! you have to speak up there are certain words that i can't say" WHATEVER. Yeah it is pretty pathetic it's like ppl want attention for it or something. Sure its' cool if you wanna work in the community coz it interests you, that's cool, but don't emulate it and say you understand it. I know they can to a degree, but to be deaf or HOH is something entireley different. It's not all fun and games like some people think.
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This specific person in my ASL class gets under my skin more and more with each class. She always insists that she is right about everything, including different ways of signing. Her daughter is attending an interpreter training program, and I guess she thought it would be "hip" to take a class on it. Well, in one class the topic of interpreter certification came up, and I explained the process, and that one must pass an exam to recieve their certificate. She countered, saying that you had to recieve a BAS degree, and then take the exam. I explained that in the near future an AAS degree would be required and then a BAS possibly be required of examinees later, but not at this time. Nope she had to be right. Then there have been the countless times when I've attempted to show her signs, and she would say I'm signing it the wrong way or using the wrong sign, because her daughter, a current ASL student, showed her otherwise. Other people in the class have showed her different signs showed in books, and she's still said "that's wrong, because my daughter showed me this, and that's not in the book I have." My patience is wearing thin with this woman.
 
cental34 said:
This specific person in my ASL class gets under my skin more and more with each class. She always insists that she is right about everything, including different ways of signing. Her daughter is attending an interpreter training program, and I guess she thought it would be "hip" to take a class on it. Well, in one class the topic of interpreter certification came up, and I explained the process, and that one must pass an exam to recieve their certificate. She countered, saying that you had to recieve a BAS degree, and then take the exam. I explained that in the near future an AAS degree would be required and then a BAS possibly be required of examinees later, but not at this time. Nope she had to be right. Then there have been the countless times when I've attempted to show her signs, and she would say I'm signing it the wrong way or using the wrong sign, because her daughter, a current ASL student, showed her otherwise. Other people in the class have showed her different signs showed in books, and she's still said "that's wrong, because my daughter showed me this, and that's not in the book I have." My patience is wearing thin with this woman.
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Crap yeah i'd probably do something drastic. I hate people like that - i'm assuming she's someone who thinks that sign is the same wherever you go. HA! The sign in my city can differ from that in Toronto!!!!!!! So i'm assuming your the ASL teacher and she's a 'student'. The next time she pulls shit like that just be like, "Well if you know it so well why don't you come up here and teach it?" or be like, "If you're so good at signing why are you even taking this course, since you're insisting what i'm teaching isn't correct." what a bitch eh???
 
Breezy said:
Crap yeah i'd probably do something drastic. I hate people like that - i'm assuming she's someone who thinks that sign is the same wherever you go. HA! The sign in my city can differ from that in Toronto!!!!!!! So i'm assuming your the ASL teacher and she's a 'student'. The next time she pulls shit like that just be like, "Well if you know it so well why don't you come up here and teach it?" or be like, "If you're so good at signing why are you even taking this course, since you're insisting what i'm teaching isn't correct." what a bitch eh???
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No, I am a student as well. But I've had the teacher reaffirm my points several times, and she shut her mouth. There is one student who has had prior, informal instruction before, and he seems sheepish when it comes to correcting her. I think I'm going to start signing with my teacher next time about my concerns with the bitch, and see if "Mrs Alwaysright" figures it out.
 
Breezy said:
Yeah where can i get a shake awake? I can wake up to my alarm but it has to be SOOOOOOOOOOOO loud.
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Oh God, I had a roommate like this in college--from about 7 in the morning, this alarm would go off and she'd somehow either not hear it, or she'd hit the snooze button and it would do it again in 5 minutes. There were days I wanted to sneak over and turn her alarm off because I was so frustrated with it. For the sake of anybody even remotely near you who might be like me, PLEASE do something! ;) I am totally the opposite to you...my alarm makes a very faint, almost charming little beep, it sits across the room, and it never fails to wake me up. Even earplugs don't always keep out enough noise so I can sleep OK in my apartment. I think my ears are stuck on "hypersensitive"...grrrrr...

I don't see anything wrong with using specialized products like that if they solve a problem or genuinely make things more convenient for you--but doing it for some specific image is silly.
 
and I think actually that the wannabes are looking for something to enrich and enhance their lives. Face it, American "culture" is just bland plastic suburban values type culture......
 
Cental,

Give Mrs. Alwaysright this website www.deafnewspaper.com and watch the video...it will show different signs for "picnic" in different states. Make sure she watches this ASAP because soon it will change to different video. This will help show her that there isn't ONE sign for Picnic, but many, depending where you live.
 
cental
cld have fun w/ this lady.. LMAO
Take word stand! there 5 signs stand.. U stand there.. stand up for urself.. stand as chairs ball game.. just name few.. ea sign for stand is sign diff.. U donot use stand for stand up for self.. for stand there... yep U polly blow her away chat w/ teacher..LOL me luv do same w/ same ppl.. do lot... funny see there face they always have wht u say look on there face.. or can u sign slow I did not get tht .. Yes do help ppl wld take pride in my wrld..
lady u chat abt is wht we call crabs in community! we do not need ppl same her!
Pls feel free print me relpy show her this! She have any QQ have she pm me here.. me LOL can give her wht me think.. can not post here for child health..

LMM
 
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