"Deafness" Need Not Be "Acknowledged"
I'm not for or against CIs itself, but the behavior that people show after they get CIs.
You're deaf. With a hearing aid, you hear. With CI, you hear. Without either, you're still deaf. That's something that should be accepted
Some people consider CI a "cure" to deafness, but that isn't true. If they take their CI off, they're deaf again. Sometimes, they stop acknowledging their deafness and change their views towards Deaf Culture. Some of them even stop signing and don't socialize with deaf people any more.
Some people get CIs and still acknowledge their deaf identity. Those are the ones I appreciate and respect. They may improve on their speech, grammar, or their social skills with hearing people... but they don't change their attitude towards deaf people.
Why is it necessary for those who chose to get a cochlear implant to use a specific mode of communication and to socialize with a certain group of persons for you to "appreciate and respect" them?
In my short 6 months of exposure to learning about such things as hearing loss, hearing aids, cochlear implants, deaf culture, ASL, cued speech, auditory oral and auditory verbal education (among other things), only one thing is entirely consistent.
The consistent theme I have seen so far is that many of those who describe themselves as supporters of the "deaf culture" not only demand accomodation from the hearing, but also wish to shove the hearing (CI or not) aside at the same time. While it is nice that the writer of the comment above does not look down upon someone solely because they have a CI, it is also evident that if that CI user does not acknowledge the "deaf culture" and its preferred mode of communication (signing), that person is loathed. Further, if the CI user does not choose to move in the "deaf culture" social circle, they are further looked down upon.
Why is it that the "deaf culture" is apparently so comfortable with holding this attitude?
I don't feel that I must "acknowledge" my white identity. I'm aware of people who wear white hoods and burn crosses that may think I must, but I don't respect thier closed minded views on life. I live my life on my terms, and if I'm not living "white enough" (whatever that would mean), I'd say that those making that judgment are the ones with the problem, not me.
I don't feel that I must "acknowledge" my identity as an American by eating hotdogs and drinking Bud Light, and I certainly don't think I should have to hang around with people just because they were born in the continental United States. If my fellow Americans out there feel that these transgressions are enough to disrespect me, again, I think it is them with the issue to work through, not me.
Why do "deaf culture" persons get to decide who is respected or appreciated based on what another deaf person "acknowledges" as far as who they are personally?
Why does a seemingly large portion of this culture demand equality and access with those that hear while intentionally shutting off and disparaging any deaf person who gets a cochlear implant and branches off from a linguistic and social perspecitve from the group of deaf, non-CI persons?
Not every person has the same view, and I dislike generalizing, but I have felt this theme since shortly before I discovered my son was deaf. I know not all have this perspective, but my experience is that a significant part of the group does. Frankly, I find it very frightening.
