Is being deaf a disability or not?

brubeckbach said:
the term "disablility" because it implies that I am not a whole or complete person, that there is something wrong with me, something missing and that I should be pitied. God made me the way I am and I am complete and whole just as I am. :wave:
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I totally agree!!! :D
 
for myself i am not disabled. but living in a hearing world i have to use the term disabled cuz of the barriers too often thrown up that make it a disability
 
I consider it a dissability. I have to work deaf because my job entails physically getting filthy and grimey and cannot risk the chance of my processor getting messed up do to my extreme work conditions. Which others at work do not need to use assitive devices to communicate, While I sit there in silence and fight to read their lips or have them write to me if they need to change the job description.. lukily we have sign language to describe the different jobs for me to understand what I need to do. But yes its a dissability for those who are late deafend.
 
It's like we can't receive a proper to be president, CEO, or any high-level career because deaf can't talk fast enough.

It would be nice if we have ability to read mind in other way to talk. Woohoo! I'm rich and yet, I stalk their mind. Shit!
 
PowerON said:
It's like we can't receive a proper to be president, CEO, or any high-level career because deaf can't talk fast enough.

It would be nice if we have ability to read mind in other way to talk. Woohoo! I'm rich and yet, I stalk their mind. Shit!
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Most people I've worked with, especially in workplaces or labs, they were fine with my hearing loss. I guess scientists are much more open and understanding when it comes to being deaf because...all the work we do aren't that communication heavy as it is in the business industry....all I had to do was to work on stuff on computer or in the field and ta-da, work is done well!

But still, I would love to see more deafies in high-level careers and business industries. Hell, it would be awesome if I could be a CEO or the biggest boss of my own company one day. ^_^'
 
Personally I don't see it as a disability because it's never really stopped me from doing anything. I guess in the eyes of the law, I am "disabled."
 
I am thinking of becoming a faciliator of educational online classes and I am sure my deafness wouldnt matter because I dont need to use the freaking phone!
 
I see it as a disability because it makes some things difficult for me to do. In some cases, things may be impossible for me to do.

Some narrow-minded people don't accept the term "disability" because they can't distinguish the difference between "disability" and "disabled". These people are probably more likely to claim that being deaf is not a disability. However, there are others who claim that being deaf doesn't stop them from doing anything and because of that, they don't see it as a disability. I do understand the logic here, I just wish I was in that situation myself!

jillio said:
Ohhhh...crossing a line there with the "normal" and "disabled" comment. You are implying that someone with a disability is "abnormal". Nothing could be further from the truth.

Hmmm....I know a lot of hearing people that turn their stereos up to "earth-shaking" volume. Are they abnormal?

Normal may mean having a spoken converation on the telephone to you, but to many, many deaf, normal is having conversation on a telephone using a TTY or texting.
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"Normal" is a subjective term. Everyone has a different view as to what constitutes "normal". There's no point having an argument over what's "normal" because it's pretty much undefined, especially in this context. If you asked a random person in the street "Is it normal to be born deaf?" I am willing to bet that many people will say "No." Therefore, they could draw the conclusion that deaf people are not normal. While I don't see it from that perspective, I can understand their reasoning.

When I was a kid, my mum once told me "Being normal is being different." Ever since, I chose to look at it that way. :)
 
sheila022 said:
Most people I've worked with, especially in workplaces or labs, they were fine with my hearing loss. I guess scientists are much more open and understanding when it comes to being deaf because...all the work we do aren't that communication heavy as it is in the business industry....all I had to do was to work on stuff on computer or in the field and ta-da, work is done well!

But still, I would love to see more deafies in high-level careers and business industries. Hell, it would be awesome if I could be a CEO or the biggest boss of my own company one day. ^_^'
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It would be fun to work in a lab. When I looking into careers, people told me I should look into labwork because I'm deaf (they pretty much said the same thing what you wrote: not heavy in communication) I believe Lab was one of the few careers that NTID offered back in my time. I almost applied for it.
 
ExR said:
I see it as a disability because it makes some things difficult for me to do. In some cases, things may be impossible for me to do.

Some narrow-minded people don't accept the term "disability" because they can't distinguish the difference between "disability" and "disabled". These people often claim that being deaf is not a disability. However, there are others who claim that being deaf doesn't stop them from doing anything and because of that, they don't see it as a disability. I do understand the logic here, I just wish I was in that situation myself!



"Normal" is a subjective term. Everyone has a different view as to what constitutes "normal".

If you asked a random person in the street "Is it normal to be born deaf?" I am willing to bet that most people will pause, and then say "No." Therefore, they could draw the conclusion that deaf people are not normal. (In the context of being deaf.) While I don't see it from that perspective, I can understand their reasoning.

When I was a kid, my mum once told me "Being normal is being different." Ever since, I chose to look at it that way. :)
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Should we accept what people say just because they say so?

In my opinion, I wont. I dont consider myself disabled because I can do a hell of a lot.
 
shel90 said:
Should we accept what people say just because they say so?

In my opinion, I wont. I dont consider myself disabled because I can do a hell of a lot.
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Having a disability is NOT the same as being disabled. These are two different words with very different meanings. Sure, if you're disabled then you most certainly have some sort of disability. However, it's possible to have a disability while not actually being disabled. I would argue that the latter applies to deaf / HoH individuals, at least by definition.

If your hearing loss prevents or stops you from doing something to the extent that you're at a disadvantage, then by definition, you have a disability.

Dictionary definitions said:
dis·a·bil·i·ty   
[dis-uh-bil-i-tee] Show IPA
–noun, plural -ties for 2.
1.
lack of adequate power, strength, or physical or mental ability; incapacity.
2.
a physical or mental handicap, esp. one that prevents a person from living a full, normal life or from holding a gainful job.
3.
anything that disables or puts one at a disadvantage: His mere six-foot height will be a disability in professional basketball.
4.
the state or condition of being disabled.
5.
legal incapacity; legal disqualification.
6.
disability insurance.
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Bold = Meaning applied to the context of being moderately, severely or profoundly hard of hearing / deaf. As you can see, there's several definitions and not all apply in this context.
 
I can't draw. I have a artistic disability....

I hope to have a disability check because I can't get any job as an artist.
 
ExR said:
Having a disability is NOT the same as being disabled. These are two different words with very different meanings. Sure, if you're disabled then you most certainly have some sort of disability. However, it's possible to have a disability while not being disabled.

If your hearing loss prevents or stops you from doing something, then by definition, you have a disability.



Bold = Meaning applied to the context of being hard of hearing / deaf. As you can see, there's several definitions and not all apply.
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I cant figure out chemistry so I have a chemical disability.
 
ExR said:
Having a disability is NOT the same as being disabled. These are two different words with very different meanings. Sure, if you're disabled then you most certainly have some sort of disability. However, it's possible to have a disability while not actually being disabled. I would argue that the latter applies to deaf / HoH individuals, at least by definition.

If your hearing loss prevents or stops you from doing something to the extent that you're at a disadvantage, then by definition, you have a disability.



Bold = Meaning applied to the context of being hard of hearing / deaf. As you can see, there's several definitions and not all apply.
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Disabled.
 
deafgal001 said:
I can't draw. I have a artistic disability....

I hope to have a disability check because I can't get any job as an artist.
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shel90 said:
I cant figure out chemistry so I have a chemical disability.
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While it may seem strange or somewhat humorous, it's true. Deafgal, you don't need to have a "disability check" because if your artistic skills are somewhat lacking, all you need to do is practice and perhaps even take some art classes!

Look at the example given in definition 3. and you will see how they've applied it to the context of basketball. However, would this player deserve benefits in this case? Probably not. Just because you may have some sort of disability, it doesn't mean to say you're automatically entitled to benefits.

Given that multiple definitions seem to fit those who are moderately, severely or profoundly HoH, I would say that it would be very hard to argue in a court of law that the term does not apply here.
 
But the thing is, I did took art classes. I truly have a disability :) I practice art like I practice my speech and hearing.

beside, every time I talk to people about my hearing, They are always eager to jump in and point out their disability. Or say "Everyone has some kind of a disability". Everytime. (It was their way of saying I'm not the only one with "problems")
 
I too am disabled without benefit to my hearing loss.
 
deafgal001 said:
But the thing is, I did took art classes. I truly have a disability :) I practice art like I practice my speech and hearing.

beside, every time I talk to people about my hearing, They are always eager to jump in and point out their disability. Or say "Everyone has some kind of a disability". Everytime. (It was their way of saying I'm not the only one with "problems")
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Well yes, that's true. Nobody is perfect.

Your example makes perfect sense in your first paragraph. The only reason it doesn't sound right is because it's perhaps not the best term to use. If you refer to the dictionary definitions for "Disability" you will see that there's several definitions for the term. If few definitions apply to your example, then it's possible that it may not be the most suitable term to use. In your scenario, I'd say the term "unskilled" is more definitive than "disability". Therefore, one would be more likely to apply that term instead.

I think we're perhaps going a bit deep into the subject of linguistic semantics here.
 
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