Offensive??

hahaha

Jiro said:
here's a badge for you :lol:

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Thanks... I try to be consistent... understanding is a two way street. :)
 
shel90 said:
That is my experience too...Whenever hearing people ask me if I am hearing impaired, I tell them, no, I am deaf and most the of time they accept it or say "Oh ok". There have been a few occassions, more when I was younger, when they asked me if I am impaired mentally. That I do not like.

One time a guy asked me if I was hearing impaired, how could I drive cuz I would be driving impaired. I was like , "Huh?" He said " If u are impaired then that means u are an impaired driver." I bust out laughing! As if I am automatically driving under the influence simply because I have a hearing loss! I loved that one! poor guy looked SO confused.
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Oh man, I would so love to see the guy's face when he looked so confused, ha. :lol:

I haven't yet got any encounter from others in regards of my deafness to apply it to being mentally impaired but if I were to, I would not like it too.

Another part is - I always cringe every time when they go "Oh my! You talk so well!" Sure, it's a nice feeling to know that I'm able to speak well but at the same time, it makes me feel like they think we are "special" cases when we aren't.
 
I remember complaining about being called "hearing impaired" to a hearing guy at one of those social workers for the deaf... and thinking I was the only deaf who thought that way till I saw another deaf guy agreeing with me.

Turns out most deaf don't care much for that label as it's belitting. I winced everytime I refered to myself as "hearing impaired" as the word deaf seems to scare the hearing. Nowadays, I'll say I'm hoh to hearing I meet for the first time. I don't have to wince at referring to myself as hoh though deaf is the preferred word for me.
 
My dad once used the term "hearing impaired" when referring to my deaf, hoh friends. Made me wince, I tell you. :doh:

I am just not comfortable with that term. Use it in my presense and you will get educated, SC-style.
 
deafskeptic said:
I remember complaining about being called "hearing impaired" to a hearing guy at one of those social workers for the deaf... and thinking I was the only deaf who thought that way till I saw another deaf guy agreeing with me.

Turns out most deaf don't care much for that label as it's belitting. I winced everytime I refered to myself as "hearing impaired" as the word deaf seems to scare the hearing. Nowadays, I'll say I'm hoh to hearing I meet for the first time. I don't have to wince at referring to myself as hoh though deaf is the preferred word for me.
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I'm sorry you have feel you have to tip-toe around the hearing. I have to say though, it wasn't until I started going deaf that I found out that the term 'hearing impaired' is a problem. That's just how all the 'hearies' refer to it. I'm not sure why. It seems that this has been going on a while now though.
 
i dont care what I get called, because I know the truth about which I am and that isnt HOH or hearing impaired, that's deaf :wave:
most people referr me as deaf. or they just say i have a hearing loss.
 
:deaf:Anything less than 90 decible loss is considered HOH, 90+ loss is considered deaf. Culturally Deaf means those who communicate almost exclusivley with ASL. I am an RN and deaf -I find the term "hearing impaired" to be offensive and never classify myself or others as such. I am deaf not "impaired".
For people who wear glasses or contacts, should we refer to them as visually impaired?






VamPyroX said:
It depends on the individual and where it's used.

"Hearing Impaired" is a politically correct term for a person who has hearing loss.

That's what is likely to be said by a doctor, nurse, lawyer, insurance companies, etc.

"Deaf" is more of a slang term that is short for "Hearing Impaired".

If you're talking to another person, it's fine to say "deaf" since it's simple and easier to understand.

I do the same thing with others. I refer to myself as "deaf" to other hearing people... "hard-of-hearing" to other deaf people... and "hearing impaired" to formal places like insurance companies, courthouses, etc.
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mshel said:
For people who wear glasses or contacts, should we refer to them as visually impaired?
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I refer to myself as that w/out my glasses or contacts b/c I'm not blind, or even legally blind, but I can't see well enough to drive or watch TV or read w/out them... I don't know else I would be classified as...

But I have stopped referring to my son as Hearing Impaired (as the physicians and audi- and school first taught me to say) now I just tell people he's deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other... or say he's got a profound loss in one ear and a moderate loss in the other...
 
JamieLynn said:
:shrug: since I'm also a hearie but I always thought (or heard it being said that way), that the word deaf to be insulting... and instead of using the word deaf, you're supposed to use the word hoh...

Or maybe it's just in Europe... If I were to be either deaf or hoh, I wouldn't find it insulting because I would be either deaf or hoh...

I hope I didn't offense anybody by saying so...

:D Jamie
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I can see why people find the word deaf as insulting. As some people would often say to hearing people "Are you Deaf or something" as an insult. I think hearing people think it is an insult because they don't want to be deaf. or see deaf as a sad state. Don't be afraid to use the word deaf.
 
Adamsmomma said:
I'm just wondering from a hearing mom's perspective--

Does anyone find the term "hearing impaired" offensive when they're deaf or Hoh??

I have referred to Adam that way b/c that's how the doctor referred to him-- not 'deaf'. It's silly but I saw a T-shirt online that said "I'm deaf- not IMPAIRED" and it got me thinking-- you know I don't see Adam as 'impaired' but he is deaf/hoh-- is it that's the more 'professional/medical' way to say deaf/hoh??

Is it a matter of preference?? I guess I'm so afraid of bein 'naive' about what's right or what's wrong that I'll say the wrong thing-- and hurt someone's feelings...

So just chime in if you have a preference or a particular feeling about the term 'hearing impaired'...

Thanks again!!! :)
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Doesn't offend me. I don't use these terms on myself: I'm deafblind. However, if anyone would rather label themselves as hearing and visually impaired I'm not going to get all offended about it.

After all who isn't impaired. I can't fly so I'm gravitally impaired.
 
Daredevel7 said:
I am waiting for someone to say that the term HoH is offensive because it has the word "hard" in it, implying that their lives are hard and depressing. :whistle:
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You have a very good point, and that makes people think people with these things gives them hard life, well, I think not. Most of you guys have good life, and I don't find it anything hard, example; I have a stable career, I study at Uni. Come on people.

Jiro said:
i'm HoH and it's not offensive to me :lol:
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What if you fall on deaf ears and you decide to kick the "HoH" off your chest and replace it with "Deaf" ?

Daredevel7 said:
I still do it.
And I'm 26.
:D
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Same here, when I am angry, :lol: and I'm 22, still. People always does that for the annoyance of the others.
 
nah, hard of hearing just means you have some hearing but just have a difficult time hearing like a hearing person. it still don't mean you are broken though. You pretty much accept that you have some hearing, that's all.

If a person use the term hearing impaired, I won't be offended but I will always refer myself as HOH
 
I'm HOH. I explain it in terms of what it actually means _for me_, like "Could we have this conversation later when there's less noise? I can't understand what you're saying."

I don't like the term "hearing impaired" because it's clunky and sounds like a euphemism. And not a good one. Where else do we use "impaired?" Things like "driving while ability impaired," meaning you took drugs or drank and then got behind the wheel of a car, "impaired judgment," things like that. My hearing would be "impaired" if I walked around with a bucket on my head.

I'm hard of hearing. Why would I need a euphemism? I don't find "hearing impaired" offensive, I find it silly.
 
ms_redcat said:
I'm HOH. I explain it in terms of what it actually means _for me_, like "Could we have this conversation later when there's less noise? I can't understand what you're saying."

I don't like the term "hearing impaired" because it's clunky and sounds like a euphemism. And not a good one. Where else do we use "impaired?" Things like "driving while ability impaired," meaning you took drugs or drank and then got behind the wheel of a car, "impaired judgment," things like that. My hearing would be "impaired" if I walked around with a bucket on my head.

I'm hard of hearing. Why would I need a euphemism? I don't find "hearing impaired" offensive, I find it silly.
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That's a good way to put it, I'll say.
 
ms_redcat said:
I'm HOH. I explain it in terms of what it actually means _for me_, like "Could we have this conversation later when there's less noise? I can't understand what you're saying."

I don't like the term "hearing impaired" because it's clunky and sounds like a euphemism. And not a good one. Where else do we use "impaired?" Things like "driving while ability impaired," meaning you took drugs or drank and then got behind the wheel of a car, "impaired judgment," things like that. My hearing would be "impaired" if I walked around with a bucket on my head.

I'm hard of hearing. Why would I need a euphemism? I don't find "hearing impaired" offensive, I find it silly.
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I find it silly as well. Just as silly as being "vertically challenged" if you are short. What are they gonna do? :P
 
Adamsmomma said:
This cracked me up!!!!!! So true!!
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That's what I was thinking.

In our church bulletin at the bottom it says "We have listening devices for the partially hearing impaired"

When I read that I thought of some crazy old man running around flapping his arms and honking like a goose, but now with the bucket added, its an old man running around flapping his arms, honking like a goose with a bucket over his head.

My thoughts are the same impaired means to have a hindrance due to a choice a person has made such as driving while impaired after consuming alcohol. A person has impaired judgment after snorting crack cocaine. A person with a hearing impairment would be someone that chooses to stuff their ears with cotton balls and put a bucket over their head.

A better term would be hard of hearing.
 
Well, there are so many terms, we have to look at the individuals. For some see it as offensive yet some could care less. If you see you offended just be polite and tell them you meant no disrespect :)
 
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