The cultural component of deafness experiences several oppositions. These oppositions include the cochlear implant, Deaf schools versus mainstream schools, and audism. Being a part of the tight-knit Deaf community, there are several oppositions and conflicting views. However, the Deaf community is so strong and prideful that these oppositions do not bring their culture down. The Deaf culture experiences controversies about the cochlear implant. Some people believe that the implant can take away pride and culture in the Deaf community and others believe that it is a good way for Deaf people to explore the hearing world. Typically, the people who frown upon cochlear implants are those who are individuals in the Deaf community. The people in …show more content…
This opposition is similar to the cochlear implant opposition. The people who believe Deaf students should be in mainstream schools tend to come from the hearing community, as they view being Deaf with the half-empty perspective. Those who believe Deaf students should go to Deaf schools are usually the ones from the Deaf community, as they view being Deaf with the half-full perspective. The Deaf community believes that Deaf students should stay in Deaf schools because it helps them embrace their deafness. It allows them to use sign language and be with people who are Deaf, as well. The Deaf community believes that Deaf schools will help deaf students remember their culture and make them proud of their Deafness. It is important for the Deaf students to be surrounded around people who share the same hearing status, so they remember that there are people like them and so they feel more connected to the Deaf community. People a part of the hearing community believes that mainstream schools are good for the Deaf because it allows them to experience the hearing culture. This means that the Deaf student most likely knows English and can speak. This can occur in Deaf children who are born into Hearing families, because the hearing parents want their child to experience what it’s like to hear. Again, this conflicting view mostly revolves around the half-full and …show more content…
The hearing community, mostly views Deaf people with a half-empty perspective. Most hearing people feel bad for the Deaf because their incapability to hear. However, the Deaf community does not see their Deafness as a disability. Deaf people enjoy being Deaf, they like being quiet; it is their life. The Hearing community thinks that being Deaf limits you to jobs, career success, skills, driving abilities, and much more. The Deaf culture can still be successful in life, regardless of their hearing status. Some examples of how the hearing community sees being Deaf is: “I cannot imagine what it is like being Deaf. It must be so hard, not being able to hear. I feel bad for them. Imagine not being able to hear the simple things in life we (the hearing community) takes for granted.” The Hearing community will always view the Deaf with the half-empty perspective, unless they personally know someone who is Deaf or have taken a course about Deaf culture. Taking Deaf culture has totally changed my perspective, personally. I now look at the Deaf with the half-full perspective. I admire the Deaf culture, they are so strong and hold such
I learned a lot about Deaf people, ASL, and/or Deaf Culture after reading this book. Deaf people are normal just like anybody else and they should not be treated any differently. Some people treat Deafness as a disease that needs to be cured, but it's not. If a parent comes to learn that their child is deaf they react very crazily and act like their child is dying and that deafness is some fatal disease. Deaf people should be treated just like anyone else and no differently. They are not disabled and can do great things in this world.
In the following chapters, there is an extensive amount of knowledge to learn about how Deaf culture is involved in our modern world. The pages assigned give us an outlook of how Deaf people are treated in our daily life, and how we should learn from it. Its gives a clear line between what are myths and what are facts, to those who are curious about the Deaf community or have specific questions. This book has definitely taught me new things that I could put to good use in the near future. In specific chapters, my mind really opened up to new ideas and made me think hard about questions, like “why don’t some Deaf people trust hearing people,” or “do we need another ‘Deaf president now’ revolution?” I realized many new things in the course of reading this book, and have recommended this to my family.
Marika Kovac-Houlihan’s TED Talk hurt me. Hearing her stories first hand truly reveals the discrimination Deaf people face. It’s an easy to listen and understand the definition of discrimination but to experience it or witness is different. Kovac-Houlihan’s intention was for the audience to be stunned by her experiences, I imagine most of those people feel the same way I currently do. Her understanding was that most hearing people see Deaf people as disable or inferior, not every hearing person thinks that way, but most do. Kovac-Houlihan believes hearing people’s assumption is “that a deaf person may be isolated, uneducated or without language” (2:29 Kovac-Houlihan). I slightly disagree with her, but there are exceptions to every rule, one individual does not always impact the thoughts of the mob. I choose this video because of my reaction to Kovac-Houlihan’s primary discussion topics: the phonocentric ideology, loss of identity, and the divide between hearing and Deaf
One excerpt mentioned that the idea that Deaf people are left with the burden of fitting into a hearing world was a product of “laziness” on the part of the Hearing. Instead of making adjustments to accommodate the Deaf, Deaf people are doing all of the work to accommodate the Hearing. Notwithstanding the major alterations that include learning to speak and wearing hearing aids, hearing people merely have to learn sign language. I’ve witnessed this in my own home. When my brother stopped speaking, it wasn’t ever a concern for the rest of the family to adjust to him, we continued on as if nothing changed. It’s true, Deaf children practically have no say in how they would rather communicate, it is left up to the parent and in most cases, Hearing parents. I’m just glad that I have an opportunity do the work to learn ASL and make strides in breaking down barriers that have hindered communication between the Hearing and the
Many hearing people do not take the time to listen to the Deaf community as they just assume that they are being “selfish” as they do not want to change. The Deaf community does not want the hearing community to change them. If we try to change the Deaf community, we are trying to change their language and culture. The Deaf community relies on American Sign Language just as many of us rely on English. We would not want anyone to try to convince us to change our language just so we can communicate with the general population. Being deaf is not a disability, but rather a culture that most of the hearing community is going to have to
According to Deaf culture, getting a cochlear could be considered a rejection of the great society they love while at the same time it doesn’t making you a normal hearing person either. To get a cochlear is to say that you are “fixing” your deafness, something that Deaf consider make them unique, not broken. The Deaf culture spurns cochlear implants because not only is it incredibly expensive and fairly dangerous procedure, but it’s also giving in to the pressures from the hearing majority to give up their Deaf pride and adhere to the hearing society they exist inside of.
Deaf Culture is often misunderstood because the hearing world thinks of deafness as a handicap. The Deaf are not given enough credit for their disabilities even though they are unable to hear. Being misunderstood is the biggest reason why they are not accepted in the world of hearing. The learning process for them may be slower and more difficult to learn, but they are still very bright individuals. The problem at hand is the controversy of trying to “fix” the Deaf when they may or may not want to be “fixed”. The hearing world should give Deaf people a chance to show their true talents and abilities of intelligence before rushing to assumptions, such as hearing aids will fix all Deaf people, because Deaf are dumb, have social problems, and
The documentary of “Through Deaf Eyes” has open my eyes to the deaf culture. The movie has made it “click” that deaf people are just that people and individuals like me. Deaf community has its struggles just like everyone else. They struggle with growing into who they are as a person, harmful situations, and feeling a sense of belonging. They just speak a different language like Italians and Hispanics. Communicating with a different language does not make them lesser than a hearing person. When able to learn to communicate, the deaf are able to learn and gain knowledge just like a hearing person. The only difference is they have to learn more and work harder to achieve their goals and gain knowledge, which a hearing person learns just by hearing their surroundings.
Cochlear implants can affect many children from the age after birth to twelve. This implant does affect children emotionally. Infants to toddlers don’t even know what is going on, they are to young to understand that they are deaf. Parents not accepting the fact their child is deaf and does not want to be part of the hearing world. Many parents whose child are born or become deaf do not want any contact with the deaf community; they just want to “fix” their child. Sad part is that the child has no idea is...
While the benefits for the hearing are great, there are better benefits for those who are Deaf. Jarashow stated that it was essentially frowned upon if a Deaf child was using sign instead of trying to use what ability they had to hear. This seems counterproductive and if they emphasized more on teaching Deaf children ASL, there would be better outcomes for them in the future. Instead of focusing on trying to make everyone the same, they should focus on giving these children the best opportunity possible despite their
Deaf and hearing impaired individuals are know longer an out cast group. They now have there own deaf community. Deaf individuals do not consider themselves having an impairment, handicap, or any type of disability. They believe that through the use of sign language, other communication skills, and technology that there deafness is the way they are supposed to be. Many people who have perfect hearing can not understand deaf people and why they embrace there deafness instead of trying to receive hearing and get rid of there handicap. However not all deaf people have th...
"Values and Norms of the Deaf Community." College of the Canyons. College of the Canyons, n.d. Web. 30 Nov 2013.
In mainstream American society, we tend to approach deafness as a defect. Helen Keller is alleged to have said, "Blindness cuts people off from things; deafness cuts people off from people." (rnib.org) This seems a very accurate description of what Keller's world must have been. We as hearing people tend to pity deaf people, or, if they succeed in the hearing world, admire them for overcoming a severe handicap. We tend to look at signing as an inferior substitute for "real" communication. We assume that all deaf people will try to lip-read and we applaud deaf people who use their voices to show us how far they have come from the grips of their disability. Given this climate, many hearing people are surprised, as I was at first, to learn of the existence of Deaf culture. To me deafness is not a defect but a source of connection. Imagine yourself deaf, growing up with a beautiful language, visual literature, humor, and theater. Imagine taking pride in your identity without any desire to become a member of the majority culture. For many deaf people, their community is a comforting relief from the isolation and condescension of the hearing world. However the Deaf community is far more than a support group for people who share a physical characteristic. Members of the Deaf community may have hearing levels that range from profoundly deaf to slightly hard-of-hearing. But no members of the Deaf community are "hearing impaired." Inside this community, deaf people become Deaf, proudly capitalizing their culture. Hearing people suddenly find that they are handicapped: "Deaf-impaired."
The deaf community does not see their hearing impairment as a disability but as a culture which includes a history of discrimination, racial prejudice, and segregation. According to an online transcript,“Through Deaf Eyes” (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007) there are thirty-five million Americans that are hard of hearing. Out of the thirty-five million an estimated 300,000 people are completely deaf. There are ninety percent of deaf people who have hearing parents (Halpern, C., 1996). Also, most deaf parents have hearing children. With this being the exemplification, deaf people communicate on a more intimate and significant level with hearing people all their lives. “Deaf people can be found in every ethnic group, every region, and every economic class” (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007). The deaf culture and hard of hearing have plenty of arguments and divisions with living in a hearing world without sound however, that absence will be a starting point of an identity within their culture as well as the hearing culture (Weta and Florentine films/Hott productions Inc., 2007).
Levy says deaf activists “Cannot deny that on average, the deaf do much worse than the hearing on... education levels.” Education is a significant factor in Gauvin’s life but, since his disabled, it’s hard for him to get the perfect education as others would. Deaf education might bring challenges like access, interpreting, and lip reading in some cases. The disabled individual has full access to the educational system because of Americans with Disability Act, which provides equal opportunities for the disabled. People like Gauvin sometimes have geographic challenges such as living in small towns and not having access to a lot of deaf schools. Some communities do not have a lot of deaf individuals so a deaf school will not likely be in that neighborhood. Population matters the most because if a lot of deaf people are in a specific town, a deaf school will be a part of it too. In some rural areas, the classes for deaf children are very small compared to hearing students who have the whole school to themselves. There aren’t a lot deaf instructors in some schools because they can’t always be available due to weather conditions and difficulty in transportation between towns. People like Gauvin who are deaf, need interpreters most of the time. Due to small town, it’s hard to find an interpreter in some schools for the disabled students, so they can miss an entire day of learning if an interpreter doesn’t arrive.