AlleyCat
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2005
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Youre a total stranger and Im naked under the sheets.
Every 18 year old boy's dream
Youre a total stranger and Im naked under the sheets.
If only I was 18... now its just.... You wanna do it or not? lolEvery 18 year old boy's dream
while some HLAA people may know ASL - when I've investigated here - they're really focused on technology and being Hearing. No mention of or interest in ASL, no one signs. The literature promotes a cure for deafness. That by default negates Deaf culture including ASL.
I'm not a member of Deaf Culture. But, it seems to me, the strength of any culture doesn't rest with those who oppose it. If there was a cure tomorrow, like myself, you would still have more in common with someone who was deaf(or Deaf) than someone who never experienced deafness.
Why not become a member of our culture?
Your never going to understand us, why we think how we do, our history and our very concerns.over hearies obsession to cure the world of people like us, if you wont sign and at the very least be smongst us, in spirit and body.
Your just looking at deafness as some medical condition
A negative.
For us.
Being Deaf, is something alltogether different.
I don't have anything against the Deaf Culture or any of the people involved in Deaf Culture. I have friends involved in Deaf Culture, but it's not for me. It's not for me because I don't philosophically agree with its premise. If there were a cure for deafness, I would take the cure seven days a week and twice on Sunday. This is why I don't feel it is the place for me. And that it would be hypocritical for me.
And, the idea that the rest of the world wants to cure deaf(let alone Deaf) is propaganda. The world is not running around trying to cure deafness. If it were, we would have something by now. We are too small a population.
Beyond that, as an adult the choice of a cure is something that person would make for themselves. Nobody is forcing a cure on someone.
The fear is that the community will lose members or identity (understandably). The reality, however, is: There are more hearing people using ASL than deaf people.
Seriously, check out an ASL meetup group and you'll find more hearing people than deaf. When I say this I mean not just Deaf, I mean all deaf. Check out any class on ASL and you'll find more family members of deaf than deaf. Now, this may vary depending on location, but I can tell you where I am it's true. Moreover, the majority of people use pidgin not ASL.
I do think the community is great for people with those beliefs. Growing up deaf I know what it's like to be an outsider and nobody wants that. It's a hard life. So there is a lot of good things that come with it for those members. But, it is not for me, personally.
I consider everyone who is deaf the same. For me, there are no groups. That's why I like this site. It's ALLDEAF.
I don't have anything against the Deaf Culture or any of the people involved in Deaf Culture. I have friends involved in Deaf Culture, but it's not for me. It's not for me because I don't philosophically agree with its premise. If there were a cure for deafness, I would take the cure seven days a week and twice on Sunday. This is why I don't feel it is the place for me. And that it would be hypocritical for me.
And, the idea that the rest of the world wants to cure deaf(let alone Deaf) is propaganda. The world is not running around trying to cure deafness. If it were, we would have something by now. We are too small a population.
Beyond that, as an adult the choice of a cure is something that person would make for themselves. Nobody is forcing a cure on someone.
The fear is that the community will lose members or identity (understandably). The reality, however, is: There are more hearing people using ASL than deaf people.
Seriously, check out an ASL meetup group and you'll find more hearing people than deaf. When I say this I mean not just Deaf, I mean all deaf. Check out any class on ASL and you'll find more family members of deaf than deaf. Now, this may vary depending on location, but I can tell you where I am it's true. Moreover, the majority of people use pidgin not ASL.
I do think the community is great for people with those beliefs. Growing up deaf I know what it's like to be an outsider and nobody wants that. It's a hard life. So there is a lot of good things that come with it for those members. But, it is not for me, personally.
I consider everyone who is deaf the same. For me, there are no groups. That's why I like this site. It's ALLDEAF.
The thing is VacationGuy, being Deaf is part of our identity. Why would I want to be cured and then lose my identity in the process??
You see, that's the difference. I don't believe deafness defines someone. You can't separate someone from deafness, it's a part of them, but it is only a small part of who they are as a person. I believe it inhibits people(certainly employment wise), but it doesn't contain them. That is to say, it's an obstacle, but not an overwhelming obstacle. I believe there is much more to a person than deafness.
On the other hand, it has been said that people who can hear define deaf people by their deafness only and thereby oppress them because of it.
I would rather have people see me for more than just my deafness. If that means mixing in with the masses, so be it.
I will always share a common bond with people who are deaf. I don't need a club for that, I'm living it. I need no welcome. I'm already deaf.
Sheri, I'm glad you've found something that is right for you. I think everyone deserves that.
N
We define ourself through our language. Languege is directly entiwined with our culture.
This is not hard to fathom.
For most human biengs, most not all, but most language is one of the main.defining features, when it comes to cultures and identity.
Im not sure why some have a hard time with this.
If your well traveled as your name suggests, this should be rather apperent to you.
The thing is VacationGuy, being Deaf is part of our identity. Why would I want to be cured and then lose my identity in the process?? Just to become part of the masses??? Where there's no identities to be had? To be so damn mainstreamed just to conform with the masses?? Hell no. huh huh no friggin way. The only ways any members of the hearie masses can find any semblance of identities are to join clubs and forums such as Apple, Trekkies, Comic Cons, the Legions, boxing, NBA, MLB, science and so on and on. They aren't really real. There aren't really any cultures there. They are fleeting. Temporary. Just fan clubs where people have common interests and in which they share their passions.
What we have is real. Its our life, our struggle, our community, our friends, our culture. it's part of our being in which many hearies aren't willing or don't seem to want to give to us. Many don't even acknowledge it. They are scared. We are too 'different'. They acknowledge the 'clubs' above. Why not ours?? We don't even ask them to give up their clubs do we?
So think about what you're saying. Its nuts. If you want to be identity-less go right ahead. I don't care. However if you want to stay deaf and be a part of the Deaf culture and community, we will welcome you with open arms. If you don't know ASL that's fine. Just like any immigrant, you'll learn the language and culture.
Most cultures are not defined so much by their language. Language is a way to communicate with others within a culture, but it's not the same thing as "culture" or even typically the most important part of a culture. Perhaps that's one reason why people who can hear have a difficult time understanding Deaf culture and its relationship with ASL. I took several years of Spanish, but I know almost nothing about Spanish, Mexican, or any other Spanish-speaking culture. I've never met anyone whose primary language is Spanish. If I talked to someone who spoke Spanish, knowing Spanish would (hopefully) help me to understand what they were saying, but it wouldn't help me to know a single thing about their culture. When I think "culture" I think of shared traditions, customs, experiences, norms, laws, beliefs, etc. My feeling is that my "culture" will remain the same regardless of what language I speak.
If I move to France or Germany or China and learn and speak their language in order to better communicate with them, that will not make me part of their culture. That will simply enable me to order dinner in a restaurant or ask where the bathroom is or say please and thank you. Now, I can read a book that tells me about customs and laws in those countries, how much to tip people, what gestures are impolite, whether to remove my shoes when I enter someone's home, what types of clothing people wear for certain occasions, what their holidays are, etc., and those things will tell me more about their "cultures" than learning/speaking their language will.
I am HOH, have been so since birth, and am getting progressively more HOH, and I identify as a HOH person, but that is most definitely NOT my "culture." I grew up in a HOH family where some of my relatives wore hearing aids and no one knew ASL, and none of us spent much time worrying about being HOH because it was so "normal" for us. When we get together, we all talk loudly and if someone can't hear us we patiently repeat or rephrase what we say so that they understand. Among many other topics, we tell stories about funny misunderstandings due to not being able to hear very well, and we laugh and it feels good being around other people who know what we are going through. Our spouses/partners with normal hearing can also talk to each other about their experiences being with HOH people. However, I'm sure if I asked them, none of us would say that we are part of a HOH or deaf "culture." We don't think that we're separate from the general, overall "culture" because we really aren't. Our being HOH doesn't define us; it's just something that my family shares, like other families share various other physical characteristics.
I think most people who hear normally or are HOH don't think at all of their level of hearing as defining their culture, any more than they think of their height or hair color as defining their culture. Maybe it's different for people who attend Deaf schools and mainly use ASL, and are separated from the general hearing population both physically and by their language. I don't think of Deaf people as being either "special" or "less than" people who can hear, and I certainly don't fear them. If Deaf people are proud of being deaf and their language, that's wonderful, but I don't think of myself as needing to be part of Deaf culture just because I'm HOH. If Deaf people like being Deaf, that's great. Well, I like being able to hear. I enjoy experiencing sounds. My enjoying sounds has nothing whatsoever to do with culture.
If I were to ever learn ASL, it would be as just another tool to help me communicate better, not because I felt the need to learn or better understand a different culture. As I said, I don't think of languages as being "culture"; I think of other things as being what defines a culture. But since I don't know anyone else who communicates with ASL, it's very doubtful I'll ever learn it. Other tools like hearing aids, cochlear implants, CART services, and things Walk4Hearing support would be things I would be much more interested in. As I lose more of my hearing, what will be important to me are things that help me participate in MY culture. If I suddenly become completely deaf tomorrow, I won't feel the need to change my culture or learn a language that nobody else I know speaks.
Deaf culture being so dependent on ASL to exist and to define it (rather than being made up mainly of shared customs, traditions, beliefs, and other things like other cultures are) is one reason why hearing people sometimes have difficulty thinking of Deaf culture as being a "culture." Hearing people don't depend on language to define their culture. Hearing people can change their language and their country and still bring their culture with them.
Phew, long post!
Most cultures are not defined so much by their language. Language is a way to communicate with others within a culture, but it's not the same thing as "culture" or even typically the most important part of a culture. Perhaps that's one reason why people who can hear have a difficult time understanding Deaf culture and its relationship with ASL. I took several years of Spanish, but I know almost nothing about Spanish, Mexican, or any other Spanish-speaking culture. I've never met anyone whose primary language is Spanish. If I talked to someone who spoke Spanish, knowing Spanish would (hopefully) help me to understand what they were saying, but it wouldn't help me to know a single thing about their culture. When I think "culture" I think of shared traditions, customs, experiences, norms, laws, beliefs, etc. My feeling is that my "culture" will remain the same regardless of what language I speak.
If I move to France or Germany or China and learn and speak their language in order to better communicate with them, that will not make me part of their culture. That will simply enable me to order dinner in a restaurant or ask where the bathroom is or say please and thank you. Now, I can read a book that tells me about customs and laws in those countries, how much to tip people, what gestures are impolite, whether to remove my shoes when I enter someone's home, what types of clothing people wear for certain occasions, what their holidays are, etc., and those things will tell me more about their "cultures" than learning/speaking their language will.
I am HOH, have been so since birth, and am getting progressively more HOH, and I identify as a HOH person, but that is most definitely NOT my "culture." I grew up in a HOH family where some of my relatives wore hearing aids and no one knew ASL, and none of us spent much time worrying about being HOH because it was so "normal" for us. When we get together, we all talk loudly and if someone can't hear us we patiently repeat or rephrase what we say so that they understand. Among many other topics, we tell stories about funny misunderstandings due to not being able to hear very well, and we laugh and it feels good being around other people who know what we are going through. Our spouses/partners with normal hearing can also talk to each other about their experiences being with HOH people. However, I'm sure if I asked them, none of us would say that we are part of a HOH or deaf "culture." We don't think that we're separate from the general, overall "culture" because we really aren't. Our being HOH doesn't define us; it's just something that my family shares, like other families share various other physical characteristics.
I think most people who hear normally or are HOH don't think at all of their level of hearing as defining their culture, any more than they think of their height or hair color as defining their culture. Maybe it's different for people who attend Deaf schools and mainly use ASL, and are separated from the general hearing population both physically and by their language. I don't think of Deaf people as being either "special" or "less than" people who can hear, and I certainly don't fear them. If Deaf people are proud of being deaf and their language, that's wonderful, but I don't think of myself as needing to be part of Deaf culture just because I'm HOH. If Deaf people like being Deaf, that's great. Well, I like being able to hear. I enjoy experiencing sounds. My enjoying sounds has nothing whatsoever to do with culture.
If I were to ever learn ASL, it would be as just another tool to help me communicate better, not because I felt the need to learn or better understand a different culture. As I said, I don't think of languages as being "culture"; I think of other things as being what defines a culture. But since I don't know anyone else who communicates with ASL, it's very doubtful I'll ever learn it. Other tools like hearing aids, cochlear implants, CART services, and things Walk4Hearing support would be things I would be much more interested in. As I lose more of my hearing, what will be important to me are things that help me participate in MY culture. If I suddenly become completely deaf tomorrow, I won't feel the need to change my culture or learn a language that nobody else I know speaks.
Deaf culture being so dependent on ASL to exist and to define it (rather than being made up mainly of shared customs, traditions, beliefs, and other things like other cultures are) is one reason why hearing people sometimes have difficulty thinking of Deaf culture as being a "culture." Hearing people don't depend on language to define their culture. Hearing people can change their language and their country and still bring their culture with them.
Phew, long post!
By the very definition of culture includes... Gasp.... language... The fact you know Spanish but nothing of their culture means you had a crapy teacher.... Every language I have taken up includes culture for it is the culture that makes the language....
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