Whenever I try to explain why ASL is so special to me, I get all flustered trying to come up with words to express how ASL moves me. Even when I couldn’t put together a phrase in sign language, I would sit in amazement of how others could articulate their thoughts without being verbal.
People who…
This… this is why I love you!!! :D
So, quick back story for those of you that don’t know I am a 21 year old F, hearing (though I can’t hear for ****), was an ASL 4 student until I had to drop b/c of work, some knowledge of Deaf culture but not as much as I’d like.
So … I am all for Deaf pride, like seriously all for it but…
It does! I understand where you’re coming from.
First of all: If anyone tells you to stop taking ASL, please tell them to go shove it where the sun don’t shine! You are obviously interested in it- not just the language, but the culture behind it too. That’s so rare! There are tons of people who take ASL, but couldn’t really care less about the culture. I know this from experience, and I’ve met them. And hey, whatever! I can’t change what they’re interested in.
But to ME, when I meet someone like you who is actively trying to learn it, who is posting about it, asking questions, and putting in their two cents (just because you aren’t Deaf doesn’t mean that you’re thoughts and opinions are worthless!) it makes me VERY HAPPY! You are the type of student I want all of mine to be!
Secondly: I think we are a long way from a Human Culture. I think we’re creeping closer, but we have a long way to go. There is just way too much separation, and what’s more politics keeping us apart. I’m not sure if Human culture is possible, but I really hope it is. I HAVE to believe that it is.
I think that having pride in all the tiny pieces that make you up is a great thing! I just don’t like that so many of those things seem to require that you draw a line in the sand.
It’s like they say: We have the American dream of having this cultural “melting pot” where we all come together and share, but really we’re more of a smorgasbord. We’re all on the same table, but we’re in different bowls and dishes: together, but separate. We saw how well the “separate, but equal” thing worked out during the Civil Rights Movement… but we still haven’t quite got the hang of letting it go. We’re still separate, and unfortunately we’re still not equal.
Lots of gaps to be bridged, lots of patience to be learned, and lots of acceptance to be taught.
I feel like I have to post this since he’s my former roommate in all, but this is a very, very touching article.
It’s a good article!
The only issue I take with it is when he says:
Some don’t think deafness is a disability; it’s just a way of life. After all, we can do anything except hear. But I don’t want to be part of the Deaf world, which seems so cloistered sometimes. I want to be part of the larger world - and out here, not being able to hear is a pretty significant disadvantage.
There’s no reason why you can’t be both? I walk with one foot in both cultures and do just fine. I don’t in any way think that the Deaf world and Hearing world are mutually exclusive. They require different things from me, but I function fairly well in both. And given that the hearing world is much larger than that of the Deaf world, I find it rather easy live a large portion of my life in the hearing world.
Is not being able to hear a disadvantage? Sometimes. I certainly won’t (read: can’t) deny that. But how well or dismally I function in the hearing world does not dictate how I isolate myself or function in the Deaf world, and vice versa.
I fully respect his opinion and his choices. It’s simply my personal opinion that you can (and I do!) have both worlds. I can function with “society at large” and still have people I communicate with easily and share common struggles among. (Something it seems he doesn’t have, unfortunately).
…
completely unrelated to the above:
Also he says:
Happiness is a verb.
I don’t think I get this. Happiness is a noun. Or I’m missing a nuance completely. The closest word I can think of to make happy a verb is “to be happy”(adjective) or to do something “happily” (adverb).
Yeah, and Elle pointed out several other issues, too. I just kinda jumped to post it since I’ve known the guy for so long I trusted him not to be a dick and it was after posting it that it was shown to be at least a tad dickish. So, again, I apologize.
You don’t need to apologize! He speaks honestly about his life and his choices. He’s more than welcome to them. I just don’t personally agree with some of his… I want to say statements, but I think the word “opinions” or “beliefs” is the better choice. I just didn’t get where he was coming from. It seems like he talks about how he doesn’t want to be part of the Deaf culture without actually ever experiencing the Deaf culture. Like when I used to say that I hate watermelon because I was scared to try it (because my grandfather told me if you swallow a seed it will grow in your stomach and all I could picture was myself having a watermelon growing in me until I burst. I learned later that A) That won’t happen. and B) I very much enjoy watermelon!) Maybe he HAS tried to be in the Deaf community, but it didn’t come off that way to me. Again, his choice. I just sort of feel like he’s … scared?… of the Deaf community or the stigma it might attach to him. If that makes sense???
The irony is, he’s the one who actually encouraged me to seek out being Deaf instead of HOH. He pushed me to do more Deaf events and learn ASL better. He was always incredibly pro-Deafness. Then he went away for a year for a co-op. I guess he changed.
Wow!!! Talk about a freaking 180!!! From the sounds of things, he doesn’t even sign ASL. He mentions Cued Speech, but that’s about it. I am rather flabbergasted, to say the least!
I feel like I have to post this since he’s my former roommate in all, but this is a very, very touching article.
is that sarcasm? i cant tell. cause i thought this article was disgusting.
How so?
im all for letting people have their opinions and talking about their experiences and what not, but that article is so filled with internalized audism.
and why do articles about d/Deaf people always mention a silent world, i dont know about you but im pretty damn LOUD.
here are a few quotes:
“Being deaf especially sucks when it comes to love. You can’t ever love someone unless you’ve talked to them. So how do you communicate effectively? Everything I’ve ever thought of is awkward, because none of them are ever normal. Social norms are norms because they are what people expect.
I’ve talked to people “normally.” It’s hard, it’s error-prone, and we have to repeat a lot. That’s never a good recipe for love. It’s hard to have awesome conversations when you have to repeat every other thing you say and are never sure whether the other person understood.
I could try to find a deaf girl. However, I don’t want my kids to have an increased chance of deafness. Even if they come out hearing, we’d need to make sure they’re raised right - who will teach them how to talk? And I don’t identify with Deaf culture, which takes pride in being deaf. I accept that deafness is part of me, but it’s just there. Like the fact I have black hair.”
“I never considered myself part of Deaf culture. It arose because, I suspect, we were lonely. It’s the same for any minority. Except this time, Deaf culture came together because of a common language everyone could understand - American Sign Language. I’ve heard the stories. Deaf people entering college for the first time. Finding other deaf students. Suddenly, during their first sleepless night, they’re making up for all the conversations they had missed.
Some become angry at the hearing world. They went so long without feeling like they belonged. Without feeling loved.
Some don’t think deafness is a disability; it’s just a way of life. After all, we can do anything except hear. But I don’t want to be part of the Deaf world, which seems so cloistered sometimes. I want to be part of the larger world - and out here, not being able to hear is a pretty significant disadvantage.”
its so UGH. and now hearing people are reading this and thinking this is what all deaf/Deaf and HOH people feel. where is the balance?
this is pretty much how I felt whilst reading this article.
Yes, I get frustrated and pissy a lot. Yes, I have a lot of self-loathing. I’m sure I post more rants about being deaf on here than positive things - but that doesn’t mean I hate being deaf.
It can be hard for sure, but I think I have a pretty fulfilling life (to a point. it is not fulfilling sitting around job hunting ok) - I do a lot of the same things hearing people do. One of the major things you’ve probably noticed by now, is going to concerts which I hope you have noticed and realized that clearly being deaf doesn’t affected my ability to listen to and enjoy music.
This article for me, while it ended on an okay note, was painful to read. It was so negative. That quote Elle pulled about love & relationships was horrible - anything romantic-ish (???? there has got to be a better word for it because it is NOT romance, far from it) that I’ve done has been with hearing guys. I communicate with hearing people, and for me it is so much more than just talking. I read body language, I read your signals. Maybe you can’t whisper sweet nothings in my ear, but that’s not really a big deal.
The fact that this guy says it is just a part of him, that’s just there, to me that shows how much he doesn’t realize it impacts his life. How much it can impact his life positively. You don’t have to be a part of Deaf culture to be okay with your deafness - I am not a part of it, for no specific reason, and I am okay with my deafness. And I don’t think it’s this cloistered world either, and you folks on tumblr have shown me that.
If I was a hearing person reading this, with no knowledge of deafness, I would think that this is the worst life ever. It isn’t inspirational. It isn’t educational. It is just about how much this guy sees his disability as an enemy.
^^^^
accurate post is accurate.
Yes! That’s exactly it! I had totally forgotten the part about romantic-ish-ness(??) made me so sad!!! Yes, it is hard! It freaking SUCKS sometimes! But the bit about not wanting to date a deaf girl because you’re scared your kids might be deaf too and who would teach them to speak?!?!?! WHAT?!
I feel like if we trace his geneology back far enough we’re going to find a A. Graham Bell on there somewhere….
I feel like I have to post this since he’s my former roommate in all, but this is a very, very touching article.
It’s a good article!
The only issue I take with it is when he says:
Some don’t think deafness is a disability; it’s just a way of life. After all, we can do anything except hear. But I don’t want to be part of the Deaf world, which seems so cloistered sometimes. I want to be part of the larger world - and out here, not being able to hear is a pretty significant disadvantage.
There’s no reason why you can’t be both? I walk with one foot in both cultures and do just fine. I don’t in any way think that the Deaf world and Hearing world are mutually exclusive. They require different things from me, but I function fairly well in both. And given that the hearing world is much larger than that of the Deaf world, I find it rather easy live a large portion of my life in the hearing world.
Is not being able to hear a disadvantage? Sometimes. I certainly won’t (read: can’t) deny that. But how well or dismally I function in the hearing world does not dictate how I isolate myself or function in the Deaf world, and vice versa.
I fully respect his opinion and his choices. It’s simply my personal opinion that you can (and I do!) have both worlds. I can function with “society at large” and still have people I communicate with easily and share common struggles among. (Something it seems he doesn’t have, unfortunately).
…
completely unrelated to the above:
Also he says:
Happiness is a verb.
I don’t think I get this. Happiness is a noun. Or I’m missing a nuance completely. The closest word I can think of to make happy a verb is “to be happy”(adjective) or to do something “happily” (adverb).
Yeah, and Elle pointed out several other issues, too. I just kinda jumped to post it since I’ve known the guy for so long I trusted him not to be a dick and it was after posting it that it was shown to be at least a tad dickish. So, again, I apologize.
You don’t need to apologize! He speaks honestly about his life and his choices. He’s more than welcome to them. I just don’t personally agree with some of his… I want to say statements, but I think the word “opinions” or “beliefs” is the better choice. I just didn’t get where he was coming from. It seems like he talks about how he doesn’t want to be part of the Deaf culture without actually ever experiencing the Deaf culture. Like when I used to say that I hate watermelon because I was scared to try it (because my grandfather told me if you swallow a seed it will grow in your stomach and all I could picture was myself having a watermelon growing in me until I burst. I learned later that A) That won’t happen. and B) I very much enjoy watermelon!) Maybe he HAS tried to be in the Deaf community, but it didn’t come off that way to me. Again, his choice. I just sort of feel like he’s … scared?… of the Deaf community or the stigma it might attach to him. If that makes sense???
The face of DEAF
Musing upon oppression and what ‘is’ Deaf.
_________________________________
Brilliantly and beautifully stated — if you only watch one VLOG this week, make it this one! You won’t regret the message!
that is the challenge!
i like this!
LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS!
This is a beautiful person we have here!
Also, I recognize at least about 7 of those books. c:
Let’s get on it!
I feel like I have to post this since he’s my former roommate in all, but this is a very, very touching article.
It’s a good article!
The only issue I take with it is when he says:
Some don’t think deafness is a disability; it’s just a way of life. After all, we can do anything except hear. But I don’t want to be part of the Deaf world, which seems so cloistered sometimes. I want to be part of the larger world - and out here, not being able to hear is a pretty significant disadvantage.
There’s no reason why you can’t be both? I walk with one foot in both cultures and do just fine. I don’t in any way think that the Deaf world and Hearing world are mutually exclusive. They require different things from me, but I function fairly well in both. And given that the hearing world is much larger than that of the Deaf world, I find it rather easy live a large portion of my life in the hearing world.
Is not being able to hear a disadvantage? Sometimes. I certainly won’t (read: can’t) deny that. But how well or dismally I function in the hearing world does not dictate how I isolate myself or function in the Deaf world, and vice versa.
I fully respect his opinion and his choices. It’s simply my personal opinion that you can (and I do!) have both worlds. I can function with “society at large” and still have people I communicate with easily and share common struggles among. (Something it seems he doesn’t have, unfortunately).
…
completely unrelated to the above:
Also he says:
Happiness is a verb.
I don’t think I get this. Happiness is a noun. Or I’m missing a nuance completely. The closest word I can think of to make happy a verb is “to be happy”(adjective) or to do something “happily” (adverb).
*Note this video is TALKING about ASL not actually doing any so if you can’t hear it you won’t be able to understand it*
Soooo… I like this video, like the girls story alot buuuuuut the only thing that leaves me scratching my head is she is talking about how she has such a passion for ASL and loves the language and communicating with people, practicing her ASL and teaching other people yet the video is in english and is a bunch of pictures sooooo even if a HoH or D/deaf person wanted to watch it they can’t even ATTEMPT to read her lips which is really disappointing. I would have loved to have seen this same video done in ASL, with captions or at least where you could see her so maybe (very big maybe) lip reading would’ve been possible… :-/
I actually JUST watched this video before seeing this post.
I commented saying exactly that!
“I love the idea of this video, but as a deaf person watching a video about how someone LOVES ASL without it actually being signed OR captioned is really wrong to me. I understand that the point of this was not to be about deaf people or even ASL, but it seems to represent a lack of understanding of ASL and the culture behind it. If you love it, you should be signing it and making it accessible for people who actually USE the language. Otherwise it’s great!”
(Source: kaylakat94)
1902 - 1904
- A few missionary nuns from Baltimore, Maryland came from Sacred Heart to Puerto Rico to teach ASL. One of the nuns was deaf.
- The nuns moved to Aguadilla and established the first school for the deaf, using SE (Signed English) as the method of communication.
CODA YODA
“Do or do not. There is no try.” Yoda’s famous line … rendered in Coda-Talk.
I know someone that is going to have a major happy when she sees this!
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