This was how I came to that conclusion. You said that it's "a big part of who I am" not, "being Deaf defines who I am". There is a difference. I wholly understand that you are Deaf and that you have your own unique experiences and interactions on a day-to-day basis that are a direct result of being Deaf. I'm not disputing that, and I view that as a positive thing.
I'm making statements based on what you wrote. I'm sure that if someone asked you to describe yourself; you wouldn't just say,"I'm Deaf.". There is much more to you and majority of people than one single aspect of their being.
If I was wrong and that being Deaf does define who you are, I apologize as I misunderstood your intent. Sometimes that can be a challenge when you're communicating solely through text.
