It is my understanding, and my belief, that to refer to an indiviudal as "hearing impaired" focuses only on the lack of hearing and is a negative and medicalized term. I personally use the terms deaf, Deaf, or HOH. It is a term that points tothe disability, and stresses what a deaf/Deaf indiviudal does not have as compared to the hearing. It does nothing to promote a positive view of a deaf persona s a whole and capable indiviudal. I find the term offensive.
It was origninally a term coined my the hearing community in an attempt to be sensitive to the feelings of the Deaf Community; however, it was coined without full knowledge of deafness. The term in and of itself, has a connotation of conferringa disabled status onthe individual. Just as I do not know any blind indiviudals who wish to be call "visually impaired" instead of blind, I do not know, from my experience, any deaf individuals who would prefer to be called "hearing impaired" rather than deaf. Such language puts the disability before the person, and it is the person who should be put first.
I don't refer to people who use wheel chairs as "wheel chair bound" but as people who use wheel chairs. I do not refer to people who have developmental disabilities as "developmentally disabled" but as people who have developmental disabilites. I firmly believe that the way we refer to others who happen to be a bit different from those who fall strictly inside the bell curve says a lot for the way we see those people, and the value we place on them. The disability is not the most important aspect of anyone person. The fact that they are a person first is the most important thing. To refer to them in a way that connotates impairment in functioning is insulting to that person.
I also believe that anyone who has any form of disability that refers to themselves using such terms has been taught that their disability is the defining aspect of who they are, and have also been taught to see themselves as less than the majority due tothier difference. I much prefer to focus on ability in my interactions with people, and not thier inability. Lack of hearing, vision, or mobility does not have to be cause for limitations in functioning.
How do you guys feel about this? Would you prefer to be referred to as a "hearing impaired" person or as a deaf, Deaf, HOH person? And for those of you who happen to be deaf/blind, would you prefer that term, or would you prefer the term "hearing and visually impaired"? And in choosing your preference, could you explian why it is that you choose one or the other?
Thanks for your responses.
Pause after ah, as ah men are two different words. Thought you'd like that!
I like that.
I'm hard of hearing, i have trouble understanding what people say... People tend to assume "deaf" means hearing problems worse than what I have. I don't want to mislead anyone.
