My hubby's experience with CI users at Spa

highlands said:
I am bored with seeing the same thing over and over again :|
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Well I get bored seeing people creating so many post counts threads ...
 
Angel said:
The term "hearing-impaired" is offensive to some deaf and hard of hearing people for a number of reasons while others see "hearing-impaired" as well-meaning word... and you're correct, deaf and hoh people have the right to choose what they wish to be called...The word "hearing-impaired " is being used a lot by many hearing people, because that is how people see deaf people and they view it as politically correct word for those with hearing loss ..IF you notice on your TV menu or dvd movies where it says " closed-captions, subtitles for hearing impaired " ...Words and labels can have a profound effect on people, deaf and hoh people are sensitive as to how they are referred, because they feel like they're being put down and disparaged by hearing people....
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Exactly, Angel. Hearing Impaired is a term that was coined by the hearing community as PC way to refer to deaf. The intent was to be more people oriented and less offensive. However, the hearing that have coined the term, and those who use it, subsribe to a medicalized view of deafness, and focus on what isn't there, rather than what is. They are also ill informed regarding deaf history, most have limited contact with deaf individuals.

One of the first things I did when I began work in disability services what to take the file labeled "hearing Impaired" and change it to Deaf/HOH label. I then informed everyone in the office that they were not to use that term unless a deaf/HOH person used it to refer to themselves. I explained why it was an offensive term, and that the majority of deaf people prefered to simply be called deaf. Everyone in the office thanked me for lettingthem know that because they had all been taught by the hearing that "hearing impaired" was the polite term to use. My next step was to remove the label of Visually Impaired from a file, and use Blind, instead.

These people did not intend to be offensive, even though they were. They simply had never thought to actually ask a deaf person what they preferred.
 
jillio said:
Exactly, Angel. Hearing Impaired is a term that was coined by the hearing community as PC way to refer to deaf. The intent was to be more people oriented and less offensive. However, the hearing that have coined the term, and those who use it, subsribe to a medicalized view of deafness, and focus on what isn't there, rather than what is. They are also ill informed regarding deaf history, most have limited contact with deaf individuals.

One of the first things I did when I began work in disability services what to take the file labeled "hearing Impaired" and change it to Deaf/HOH label. I then informed everyone in the office that they were not to use that term unless a deaf/HOH person used it to refer to themselves. I explained why it was an offensive term, and that the majority of deaf people prefered to simply be called deaf. Everyone in the office thanked me for lettingthem know that because they had all been taught by the hearing that "hearing impaired" was the polite term to use. My next step was to remove the label of Visually Impaired from a file, and use Blind, instead.

These people did not intend to be offensive, even though they were. They simply had never thought to actually ask a deaf person what they preferred.
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Exactly Jillioie I agreed!!! what we need is more people like you!! :ily:
 
jillio said:
Exactly, Angel. Hearing Impaired is a term that was coined by the hearing community as PC way to refer to deaf . . . These people did not intend to be offensive, even though they were. They simply had never thought to actually ask a deaf person what they preferred.
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You're right. That's one well-meaning action that really backfired.
 
jillio said:
I explained why it was an offensive term, and that the majority of deaf people prefered to simply be called deaf. Everyone in the office thanked me for letting them know that because they had all been taught by the hearing that "hearing impaired" was the polite term to use. My next step was to remove the label of Visually Impaired from a file, and use Blind, instead.

These people did not intend to be offensive, even though they were. They simply had never thought to actually ask a deaf person what they preferred.
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Good for you. People from "other" groups never know what to do in this PC world, and it can definitely be uncomfortable. Most people don't mean to be offensive, and by using such terms are often accidentally offensive!

For example, where I live it seems that "African-American" is preferred to "Black". However, when my wife traveled somewhere and said the words "African-American" everyone at the table (from that location) was shocked she would use that term. They explained that "AA" was a racist term, etc.

My wife is not racist, and in fact said "African American" specifically because she understood that "Black" was considered less respectful.

I guess the lesson is that 1) sometimes we can offend without meaning to, and 2) the best way to learn whether something is offensive is to ask.

(As a side note, I don't know if the incident with my wife is a regular occurrence or not. It still seems that AA is considered to be more respectful where we are, so now I never know what to say.)
 
Thank you for interesting posts here... wow... I will be back for further post and quote some of your posts tomorrow.... I has to go bed... Good night to you all :hug:
 
john57 said:
there are many different hearing impaired groups and so course that there will be some that do not know sign language. The Spa had oral interrupters but no GSL interrupters. Why it is a surprise that there is some CI users that do not use sign language?

Why there is a prejudice or discrimination against a group that does not use signs especially when I hear the statement "they really don't know what they really are"
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The discrimination was not against the oral CI and HA users. There was an oral interpreter provided for them.. The discrimination was against the signing CI and HA users, as well as the unassisted signers. There was no terp, or other accommodations made for them, despite being represented as a spa for the hearing impaired.
 
Drew's Dad said:
Good for you. People from "other" groups never know what to do in this PC world, and it can definitely be uncomfortable. Most people don't mean to be offensive, and by using such terms are often accidentally offensive!

For example, where I live it seems that "African-American" is preferred to "Black". However, when my wife traveled somewhere and said the words "African-American" everyone at the table (from that location) was shocked she would use that term. They explained that "AA" was a racist term, etc.

My wife is not racist, and in fact said "African American" specifically because she understood that "Black" was considered less respectful.

I guess the lesson is that 1) sometimes we can offend without meaning to, and 2) the best way to learn whether something is offensive is to ask.

(As a side note, I don't know if the incident with my wife is a regular occurrence or not. It still seems that AA is considered to be more respectful where we are, so now I never know what to say.)
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I think that somethimes the difference in preference is generational. I have friends who do not mind being referred to as Black, and others that prefer African-American.
 
My hubby left home for go to 4 weeks Spa in Bosenberg which around one hour distance from Luxemburg last Tuesday. (4 hours distance from my area). He was very disappointed that none of deafies are there but CI and HOH.
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What was the reason your husband was going to a Spa?

Aren't CI and HoH hearing impaired?
as for the "for hearing-impaired" - how it is misadverstised if CI and HoH ARE hearing impaired.

And anyway many deaf people in our earlier discussion were adamant about NOT being "hearing impaired",
Jillio herself was "suprised" I call myself hearing -impaired. You too, Liebling, remember?

Fuzzy
 
Reba said:
It seems that if the spa advertises itself as being for "the hearing impaired" it should provide full services, and that would include signing interpreters, oral facilitators, CART, TTY, VRS, captioned media, note takers, printed handouts, vibrating alarms, flashing lights, signing staff members, etc.
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Yes I agree. Sorry that your husband felt excluded Liebling.

To be honest when I saw your title, I thought it was going to be another rant about CI users and was relieved that it wasn't the case, apart from the reference to being snobby. But then I don't take this personally as I understand snobbiness is also present with all groups e.g. native vs later signers, or deaf school versus mainstream.

I hope the letter can produce some results. Those who need interpreters etc should not be left out.

By the way, going to a spa sounds way cool (no pun intended). It's a very European thing to do. I'd love to try it out. Do you feel really well after staying there?
 
Liebling:-))) said:
Please read carefully... It´s not just CI users but HOH with HA as well who can´t communicate with sign language because they think they are hearing. Blame their CI or HOH itself? No, but users themselves... who have problem with social behavior to deny who really they are.

I am total surprised because we often involved with HOH/CI users in deaf community.. .I met CI users/HOH with HA at Spa last year... They can SIGN... I was like wow when my hubby told me the story...
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Just want you to clarify. I read this that you think because a HA or CI user doesn't sign they're snobby and denying who they are?

Gee thanks alot.
 
jillio said:
These people did not intend to be offensive, even though they were. They simply had never thought to actually ask a deaf person what they preferred.
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And like you said some people aren'st bothered by the term hearing impaired. It also does not bother me to refer to my daughter with Down syndrome as having mental retardation. Now if someone called her a retard that is different.

Hearing impaired does discribe my hearing state, so does deaf, hoh and so on. As long as words are used in correct context (see above use of mental retardation vs retard) the words are harmless. IMO one needs to worry more about if they words are used in a nasty way. I concider calling a person with MR trainable (as they once did) more offencive then saying someone is hearing impaired.

As you stated it's actually a personal view.
 
Maria, you made many good point post.
Maria said:

Lieblin',

I am so sorry about your husband's experiences. To me, it's " prejudice "... a discrimination against a group. I can see HoH/CI separated themselves from the " deaf " world/culture. In my own eyes the way I see it, it's almost like some white people want to separate themselves from black people like in old days. Some white people see black people as low rank or 2nd class - same thing with CI/HoH view on deaf people when they ( CI/HoH ) prefer to remain in their CI/HoH world/culture/community. I wonder why cause this friction ?
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Yes, it´s very sad that some people are ignorant and uneducation about people´s color skin, disablitly, etc.

I am concerned about the percent of " deaf " people will become smaller and smaller in the near future, because of cochlear implants and that it supports " speech " and " voice " rather than " visual " and " ASL ". That's like to them, the ASL is gettin' old. I could say many things about some people throw away - not follow it to keep it up, because of " diversity " they will say that people will have to accept.
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Yes I noticed less and less deaf people here in Germany. We used to have many school for the deaf and HOH including my hubby´s school. Now no more... Most school for CI and HOH children only... My hubby´s school is not longer for deaf but CI and HOH children. Fewer school for the deaf which is really sad. My friend who is bi-bi teacher like Shel90 said on the Deaf News that she began to worry that there´re fewer deaf - it look like that they will close more deaf school in the future... High hearing parents implanted their children with CI and few hearing parents like Jillo are not for CI and rather to wear HA on them... I compared some HA children with some CI children and would say that HA children´s talent and moviation are much better than CI children. Some hearing parents signing their CI children and involved in deaf community... some hearing parents not but want their CI children to consider their own world.


That's what happens to " ASL " and " visual " and where did they go ? I am more concerned that they will throw it away, too for something new they adopt for a better world. They seek " new " advanced " things. I can say another example for that, too. When there's a new Nintendo, people will start buyin' it in maybe, 1980's and, then several years later they will start to throw Nintendo away when the Nintendo games were no longer sellin' at stores, because of new Playstation show up at stores people were startin' to buy... and so on and on.
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Yes, it´s exactly example about CI techology and also HA as well... Surgery? No thank... Example they implanted their babies with CI at 20 years ago then few years later the model of CI improves... then re-implant... few years later the model of CI improves more much better then re-implant... What is this... :cold: I rather to have HA without surgery because we can change HA when the model of HA improves.

Ok, now I am wonderin' if, cochlear implants don't help anythin'... will there be a " new " somethin' such like new nerves implants ?? They will throw the cochlear implants because of new nerves implants they want ? Things like this could happen. There's ALWAYS somethin' new and people will throw " old " things away or no longer in use.

I feel that the " ASL " is bein' ignored.
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Let me to share about my GSL interpreter. She has 25 years old son. She and her hubby found out his deafness when he was 6 months old and start to focus cons/pros between HA and CI... They visited Kindergarten and focus CI children... and also HA children as well until they notice the difference attitude/behavior between CI and HA children. HA children are more happier than CI children... It work on 3 of 20 CI children greatly... They decided for HA... Their son is 25 years old and is father of 2 small children. He can speak like hearing and very good talent... CI itself? He thank his mother for that.

The problem is the doctors/professors influence the hearing parents to not use sign on their children but focus on speech and hearing development... That´s why the parents listen doctor to not use sign their deaf children... :(


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jillio said:
Like, you Liebling, if I see "hearing impaired" I think it means all groups with hearing loss, not just HOH or CI. The spa misrepresented itself to your husband. If they want to use that term, "hearing impaired" , but don't include the signing deaf, then they need to make it clear that the spa is for ORAL ONLY.

I personally object to the term hearing impaired, because it implies pathology, and brokeness. It places the focus on soemthing wrong with the ears, and doesn't see the person a a whole being. Deaf people are more than their ears, and while they may have less sound perception than hearing people, they (at least the majority that I know) are not impaired.

I'm sorry that yur husband had this bad experience. I don't blame him for coming home. It was discrimination against signing deaf.
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Exactly... They should add the spa for ORAL only instead of hearing impaired...

We found out that if anyone who add "hearing impaired" on any school, spa, clinic, etc get good subsidy from Government. That´s why we wrote a letter to President for the Deaf inform them that there´re only oral, not signing at Spa in Bosenberg.

Yes, my hubby feel being betray by those word "hearing impaired". He drove over 700 km on the way to there and come home... My hubby demand gasoline expenses from Heath Insurance but Health Insurance said that we should do that to Spa resort Bosenberg, not them because of those word "hearing impaired" lead them beleive that deaf are including.
 
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