Hearing Ignorance of Deaf Culture

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missaustin

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Hi guys,

I am an audiology grad student currently enrolled in a Deaf culture/history/community/etc awareness type class. I was hoping to find a deaf community discussion forum. I am writing a paper for this class and was hoping to get lots of input from Deaf individuals. In class whenever we would do research/have discussion about topics (like audism, education- oralism vs tc vs bi-bi, language, etc) it seemed that we always came back to the same issue- much of the hearing world in America is very ignorant of what Deaf is. Deaf language, community, history, etc. I wanted to explore this further in my paper. Why are most hearing people unaware of this? How can more awareness happen- or does it need to happen? Should we include American Deaf history in our public school textbooks? That sort of thing.

What are your thoughts on this? What type of encounters have you had with ignorance? (For example, I'm a waitress as well as a student and I know enough sign to greet my tables, take their orders, etc. but none of the other servers do. We are near a residential Deaf school and have many deaf customers. I asked another server how he interacts with his deaf customers and he said "As long as you look them in the face and talk slowly they will understand, because they can all lipread". How idiotic! I was inclined to flare up at him but realized he was just displaying his ignorance. That type of thing....)

I would love to hear from yall! Also, can anyone recommend other forums/blogs I could try to get a discussion going on? Thanks very much for any input!
 
I'm sure deafies go through a zillion things everyday dealing with hearies....and vise versa!
Hearies not knowing sign language, and deafies not knowing speech. I do lipread, and appreciate any hearie that takes the time to talk slowly and clearly, as I do the same when talking to hearies. Always had my paper & pen ready also....if necessary.
 
Thank you so much for replying! Lots of people have viewed the post but no luck with any responses so far. I appreciate your input!
 
Most hearing people are ignorant about deaf having having good speech skills equating to having higher intelligence. So not true!
 
missaustin said:
Hi guys,

I am an audiology grad student currently enrolled in a Deaf culture/history/community/etc awareness type class. I was hoping to find a deaf community discussion forum. I am writing a paper for this class and was hoping to get lots of input from Deaf individuals. In class whenever we would do research/have discussion about topics (like audism, education- oralism vs tc vs bi-bi, language, etc) it seemed that we always came back to the same issue- much of the hearing world in America is very ignorant of what Deaf is. Deaf language, community, history, etc. I wanted to explore this further in my paper. Why are most hearing people unaware of this? How can more awareness happen- or does it need to happen? Should we include American Deaf history in our public school textbooks? That sort of thing.

What are your thoughts on this? What type of encounters have you had with ignorance? (For example, I'm a waitress as well as a student and I know enough sign to greet my tables, take their orders, etc. but none of the other servers do. We are near a residential Deaf school and have many deaf customers. I asked another server how he interacts with his deaf customers and he said "As long as you look them in the face and talk slowly they will understand, because they can all lipread". How idiotic! I was inclined to flare up at him but realized he was just displaying his ignorance. That type of thing....)

I would love to hear from yall! Also, can anyone recommend other forums/blogs I could try to get a discussion going on? Thanks very much for any input!
Click to expand...

I've had so many ignorant encounters that I've lost track of it. The most common encounter I've had is when they ask me if I'm able to read lips and in turn, whenever I say I can read lips - they at most would exaggerate their mouth movement -- more like, making their mouth "bigger" as they speak. That isn't going to help any.

As per your questions --

1)Why are most hearing people unaware of this?

2)How can more awareness happen- or does it need to happen?

3) Should we include American Deaf history in our public school textbooks?
Click to expand...

1) Most hearing people are unaware of this is because; They haven't been given the chance to be exposed to the diversity of other minorities. Chances are, at this day of time, they are more likely to see Deaf people among in the society but they do not know how to encounter the Deaf people. As, ASL classes are being provided across the nation which helps significantly but what it doesn't teach you that there are versatility of different groups that has not been much needed to be immersed to begin with.

Also, I believe that if they are being taught at a young age, it will also excel their awareness of the Deaf History and Culture.

2) Yes, It needs (no, strike that - I wish there was a strike through html code on this forum) MUST happen. It has happened through by prompting awareness related to Deaf Awareness Week, Month, Events, Televisions, Movies and ASL Classes. However, it is still limited, being resource-wise. Often time, (specifically for Televisions and Films) it has been portrayed in the wrong path or ideology. What we can do to change that is for them to process the idea of getting into the core of Deaf Culture, Deaf History, etc to develop more awareness.

3) I definitely think it should be included in the public textbooks to increase the awareness. There already has been Black History, Japanese, Chinese, and other types of cultures histories noted in the public textbooks. Why can't American Deaf History be noted in the public textbooks as well? Perhaps they have some SMALL parts noted in the textbooks but it is also not exactly emphasized or so I'd think.
 
:wave:I really like your idea about including Deaf history and culture in textbooks, Jolie.

Good thoughts here for OP'S ques; appreciate to read all
 
I have always said education and awareness are key in getting the information out. But how to educate and make aware is another issue. As a hearing person I had never encountered a deaf person in my life that I can remember other than this one guy that would come into the pub and try to sell finger spelling cards to make some money. When my son was diagnosed as deaf due to a bout with meningitis, my initial view was pathological due to my own ignorance. I never even knew that there was a Deaf culture. I have learned much since then.
 
shel90 said:
Most hearing people are ignorant about deaf having having good speech skills equating to having higher intelligence. So not true!
Click to expand...

As a person who have been called intelligent person with the capability of speaking very skillfully verbally with 80-100 hearing loss, I do have to agree that it doesn't necessarily equate to having higher intelligence simply because intelligence is a word that is usually merely based on opinion. The real reason why certain deaf with good speech skills has to do with experience and practices during the time of development rather than different neurological developments.
 
Reptillian said:
As a person who have been called intelligent person with the capability of speaking very skillfully verbally with 80-100 hearing loss, I do have to agree that it doesn't necessarily equate to having higher intelligence simply because intelligence is a word that is usually merely based on opinion. The real reason why certain deaf with good speech skills has to do with experience and practices during the time of development rather than different neurological developments.
Click to expand...

Really it usually has to do with if you have enough residual hearing to help out a little when learning.
 
Hello, Missaustin; try deafread and deafvideo. Dot com to the both of them.
 
Bottesini said:
Really it usually has to do with if you have enough residual hearing to help out a little when learning.
Click to expand...

Learning is experiencing. Practices is generally part of learning. Nonetheless, hearing do help a lot into speech development.
 
missaustin said:
Hi guys,

I am an audiology grad student currently enrolled in a Deaf culture/history/community/etc awareness type class. I was hoping to find a deaf community discussion forum. I am writing a paper for this class and was hoping to get lots of input from Deaf individuals. In class whenever we would do research/have discussion about topics (like audism, education- oralism vs tc vs bi-bi, language, etc) it seemed that we always came back to the same issue- much of the hearing world in America is very ignorant of what Deaf is. Deaf language, community, history, etc. I wanted to explore this further in my paper. Why are most hearing people unaware of this? How can more awareness happen- or does it need to happen? Should we include American Deaf history in our public school textbooks? That sort of thing.

What are your thoughts on this? What type of encounters have you had with ignorance? (For example, I'm a waitress as well as a student and I know enough sign to greet my tables, take their orders, etc. but none of the other servers do. We are near a residential Deaf school and have many deaf customers. I asked another server how he interacts with his deaf customers and he said "As long as you look them in the face and talk slowly they will understand, because they can all lipread". How idiotic! I was inclined to flare up at him but realized he was just displaying his ignorance. That type of thing....)

I would love to hear from yall! Also, can anyone recommend other forums/blogs I could try to get a discussion going on? Thanks very much for any input!
Click to expand...

Wow....rocking robin is so right that we do go through a lot of ignorance in our lives. A funny yet not so funny ignorance that I encountered was recently for me in my "So you want to be an Interpreter" class. People were just asking questions about syntax and parameters of signs and just a whole lot of questionsl.......well this one was just out of the ordinary...a lady....well...rather than asked she stated as a fact that deaf or hoh people do not drive because basically...what they are...deaf...they can't hear..... SURE ENOUGH, I turned around and faced her and said...wait...I DRIVE...she was like...*chuckles* I said DEAF OR HOH people don't drive.....So...I repeated it yet again and turned all the way around to face so she can see that I was wearing a hearing aid...and I told her....I'm going to say this one more time...I DRIVE....You need to be careful what you say because that is a sign of audism against me that you just spewed out......The whole classroom was in total silence and you can see her face reddening...... After class, people apologized for me about that....but I told them it's not your place but thank you....so yeah....that was my experience. *smh* argh
 
Jolie77 said:
I've had so many ignorant encounters that I've lost track of it. The most common encounter I've had is when they ask me if I'm able to read lips and in turn, whenever I say I can read lips - they at most would exaggerate their mouth movement -- more like, making their mouth "bigger" as they speak. That isn't going to help any.

As per your questions --



1) Most hearing people are unaware of this is because; They haven't been given the chance to be exposed to the diversity of other minorities. Chances are, at this day of time, they are more likely to see Deaf people among in the society but they do not know how to encounter the Deaf people. As, ASL classes are being provided across the nation which helps significantly but what it doesn't teach you that there are versatility of different groups that has not been much needed to be immersed to begin with.

Also, I believe that if they are being taught at a young age, it will also excel their awareness of the Deaf History and Culture.

2) Yes, It needs (no, strike that - I wish there was a strike through html code on this forum) MUST happen. It has happened through by prompting awareness related to Deaf Awareness Week, Month, Events, Televisions, Movies and ASL Classes. However, it is still limited, being resource-wise. Often time, (specifically for Televisions and Films) it has been portrayed in the wrong path or ideology. What we can do to change that is for them to process the idea of getting into the core of Deaf Culture, Deaf History, etc to develop more awareness.

3) I definitely think it should be included in the public textbooks to increase the awareness. There already has been Black History, Japanese, Chinese, and other types of cultures histories noted in the public textbooks. Why can't American Deaf History be noted in the public textbooks as well? Perhaps they have some SMALL parts noted in the textbooks but it is also not exactly emphasized or so I'd think.
Click to expand...

JOLIE!!!! YOU GET THAT TOO@READING LIPS *rolls eyes* annoying ain't it...I had another incident in college where my hearing aid had died and one of my friends (before I took the aid out) asked me could I hear without it. I said somewhat but not fully....so I took it out and exchanged the hearing aid battery and put it back in. She started to mouth to me (talking with no voice) and I'm like um....you didn't put your tv on mute...I can hear it....
 
Jolie77 said:
I've had so many ignorant encounters that I've lost track of it. The most common encounter I've had is when they ask me if I'm able to read lips and in turn, whenever I say I can read lips - they at most would exaggerate their mouth movement -- more like, making their mouth "bigger" as they speak. That isn't going to help any.

As per your questions --



1) Most hearing people are unaware of this is because; They haven't been given the chance to be exposed to the diversity of other minorities. Chances are, at this day of time, they are more likely to see Deaf people among in the society but they do not know how to encounter the Deaf people. As, ASL classes are being provided across the nation which helps significantly but what it doesn't teach you that there are versatility of different groups that has not been much needed to be immersed to begin with.

Also, I believe that if they are being taught at a young age, it will also excel their awareness of the Deaf History and Culture.

2) Yes, It needs (no, strike that - I wish there was a strike through html code on this forum) MUST happen. It has happened through by prompting awareness related to Deaf Awareness Week, Month, Events, Televisions, Movies and ASL Classes. However, it is still limited, being resource-wise. Often time, (specifically for Televisions and Films) it has been portrayed in the wrong path or ideology. What we can do to change that is for them to process the idea of getting into the core of Deaf Culture, Deaf History, etc to develop more awareness.

3) I definitely think it should be included in the public textbooks to increase the awareness. There already has been Black History, Japanese, Chinese, and other types of cultures histories noted in the public textbooks. Why can't American Deaf History be noted in the public textbooks as well? Perhaps they have some SMALL parts noted in the textbooks but it is also not exactly emphasized or so I'd think.
Click to expand...

"exaggerate their mouth movement -- more like, making their mouth "bigger" as they speak. That isn't going to help any."

I hate when people do this!
One stupid woman was exaggerating with her mouth and writing the words in the air while she spoke as if the words were going float around for me to read! I hate when people speak in a monotone voice to me , one guy did when he notice I wore a HA , when the jerk saw that I was wearing a HA in my left ear , he looked horrorific and thought OMG her is retarded! When the jerk saw that I was wearing two HA he really looked worried that I was a total retarded that just moved into the condo! He then talkedto me in his monotone voice , and ask me very slowly voice if I understood him! I wanted to answer with a sign language that I am sure the jerk would had understand!
 
Hi Missaustin,

I am a student nurse who is also severely hard of hearing. I have recently completed my research dissertation which was entitled 'The healthcare experiences of Deaf/HoH People with regard to access, communication and cultural competence'. I thought that considering the problems I have had as a nursing student, with regard to ignorance about deafness and inadequate communication support, it must be much worse for the patient, who not only receives little or no communication support, but is also anxious about their health. I found whilst doing my dissertation that even amongst healthcare professionals there is very little knowledge or understanding of Deaf culture and that Deaf people are often given less consideration than other minority groups with regards to the provision of interpreters.

Whilst attending an appointment at my local audiology clinic recently a patient attempted to communicate with the staff using BSL, neither the receptionist or an audiologist could understand her. I find it quite amazing that even audiology staff do not bother to learn BSL. Also, whilst on placement during my nursing course I spent a day working at Mental Health Deaf Services. Several temporary staff were on duty that day, none of whom could sign. I was brought up aural and have only during the last two years started to learn BSL, but I found myself translating for the patients.
 
donotfeedbsugar said:
Wow....rocking robin is so right that we do go through a lot of ignorance in our lives. A funny yet not so funny ignorance that I encountered was recently for me in my "So you want to be an Interpreter" class. People were just asking questions about syntax and parameters of signs and just a whole lot of questionsl.......well this one was just out of the ordinary...a lady....well...rather than asked she stated as a fact that deaf or hoh people do not drive because basically...what they are...deaf...they can't hear..... SURE ENOUGH, I turned around and faced her and said...wait...I DRIVE...she was like...*chuckles* I said DEAF OR HOH people don't drive.....So...I repeated it yet again and turned all the way around to face so she can see that I was wearing a hearing aid...and I told her....I'm going to say this one more time...I DRIVE....You need to be careful what you say because that is a sign of audism against me that you just spewed out......The whole classroom was in total silence and you can see her face reddening...... After class, people apologized for me about that....but I told them it's not your place but thank you....so yeah....that was my experience. *smh* argh
Click to expand...

that's funny (weird funny, not haha funny) because one of the first things we learned about in my ASL 101 class was that the Deaf are statistically better drivers than the hearing. *smh* women like that make me understand more why some Deaf people have negative feelings about the hearing.
 
I think it depends on where you live, an exposure. When I was in Balitmore, grade school kids on the block used to sign to me everyday, when I asked where they learned they said 'In school'. There were alot of Deafies in the area and it seemed like 90 percent of the Hearies know a least some sign or were willing to learn.

Where I am now in BC, Canada there seem to be very few Deaf people, almost no one signs, and I am frequently the first DEaf Person someone has ever met. My husband and I have, "the daily Encounters".

If I don't open my mouth and hand someone my notebook , in which I have written, "I'm Deaf, please write things down", they are more than glad to do so. Mostly.

If, God forbid, I open my mouth and dare to speak, even to SAY "I'm Deaf, please write things down", they talk at me. When I repeat that I am Deaf, they repeat whatever they just said.Depending on my frustration level, the third repeat might get a response from me of, "I'm still Deaf," or "Whoa Nellie, Deaf means I can't HEAR you, PLEASE write things down".

I don't think most people are trying to be mean, I'm not even sure "ignorant" is the right word, i think they are just "untrained". Training them in grade school seems to help. :)
 
what about ignorance of hearing culture?, surely this hasnt be investigated throughoutly except 'oppressions' from the hearing world (which is not debatable) but how much do we really know hearing culture? on this thought I dont mean their history, or what ways are we automatically doing things that 'everybody' do that is surviving in the hearing world, or plainly following it.
Looking at hearing culture we must ty describe what is characteristic of their culture - their behaviours or their assumption they have about each other as hearing to hearing, that nitty gritty. I'd hazard a bet that most of us d/Deaf people dont really know much about this...and it would be good for us to start looking...like pretend to ba Deaf anthropologist , instead expanding on Deaf culture or deaf minority characteristics (if sociologically viewed), instead we can begin to LOOK at whats a particular thing about the hearies?

hmmm, just think about this slowly, re-read my post, dont jump and say 'they take this for granted or they just talk.. its much more than that

hope this help you to reconsider what hearing culture may mean....(and perhaps what is Deaf culture is as well?)
 
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