Hi my name is Diana and I am learning ASL. I also have a Deaf Culture class and I have a few quetions to ask a member of the Deaf Community? Thank You Very Much in advance
Is anyone willing to give me a few moments of their time?
My questions are;
How is/was your childhood?
Where you allowed to play with others, deaf or hearing?
Do/Did your parents support you in your personal choices? ex. Did they encourage you to join sports or clubs?
What are your challenges with the hearing community?
How do you communicate with people who do not know any sign language?
What do you do for a living today?
I know these questions might seem a bit odd but I want to know about a Deaf Person life. Thank You Again
Will try to help you!!
I am profoundly deaf. I hope I can answer your questions!!
I grew up as any normal child would grow up, except that I had a disability, but I must say that I didn't have much of a childhood, as most of it was learning how to speak, so when kiddies were playing with their little toys, Kashveera was learning how to read, the result, i could pronounce words beyond the average toddler's comprehension at that time!! Maybe thats why at 19, I still probably behave like a kiddo!!
I played with anyone, although in my younger years I used to be so frustrated, I used to be very isolated, because having went to a normal hearing school, and no one really understood how to communicate with a deaf person! Nowadays, I talk to absolutely anyone, and my parents have to sometimes tell me to shut up, which I reply (just to annoy them), that they were the ones to teach me how to speak!!
I give all the credit of my success to my parents because without them I wouldn't be where I am right now...My parents supported me in everything I did, whether it was my religious life, where I addressed conferences, or whether it was my sport life, where they watched me win matches to clinch my national colors, or whether they watched me act on stage, which often bought tears of joy to their eyes! My parents have stood with me at every stage of my life...So, I give them my life, in return for all they've done for me!!
As I have always said before, the hearing community is one that is very deaf unaware, and I think that is one of the areas in which they need to improvise on...I think the other problem is the lack of compassion or understanding, but that stems from sheer ignorance unfortunately!! If the illusion of deaf people being worthless, or whatever people may think, becomes dispelled, my word, It will be a wonderful world!! However, I tend to forgive and forget!! Thats because I don't know whether to blame the person who has hurt me by being ignorant, or actually feel sorry that they have a lack of understanding, I believe hearing people should stand with deaf people, because really we are human beings at the very end of the day!!
Fortuantely for me, I lipread and speak really well (well , thats a compliment that a lot of my hearing counterparts have said to me)...So, I do not have a problem, I think a person who only knows sign-language is bette suited for this question!! I do not have any problems in communication!! So far!!
I am studying in my second year towards a bcom(acc) degree! So, at the moment my bursary money goes towards everything else, and by god's grace I have such wonderful parents who really give me the very best and they do stretch their limits...but I have assured myself, that when I start work...its payback time, so I don't feel so bad!! Fortunately, a worldwide accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche, has signed me on to work in 2009! So yeah I have a guaranteed job!!
Hope this helps!!
Sorry if I bored you!!
Kashveera