Reflection Three Throughout the course of the semester, I have gained a new understanding and respect of Deaf culture and the many aspects it encompasses. The information supplied in class through discussion, movies, and guest lecturers since the previous reflection have aided in the enhancement of my knowledge of Deaf culture and nicely wrapped up all of the information provided throughout the semester. One of the movies that we watched in class was Children Of a Lesser God, which was a monumental film for the Deaf community because, not only was American Sign Language one of the major topics of the film, but more importantly a Deaf actress played the female main character. The film was a hit in both the Deaf and hearing communities, as it was a quality …show more content…
I thought this article was incredibly strong and thought provoking, and the fact that it was written by a health care professional makes it even more powerful to me. Throughout her life, Dr. Remen was presumably taught how to help people by fixing them. But through her own personal insight and chronic illness, she is able to recognize the difference between the three words “help” “serve” “fix”. Prior to reading this article, I would have categorized the terms “help” and “sever’ in a very similar category, however, the term “fix” has always implied something different for me. The differentiation specially after having exposure to Deaf culture and the Deaf communities current and historical oppression dealing with the hearing culture’s common viewpoint that all d/Deaf individuals are disabled and need “fixed.” The second to last sentence of the article particularly struck me when she states, “All that fixing and helping left me wounded in some important and fundamental ways.” I feel that this sentence is one many d/Deaf people can relate to on a deep and personal
... Interpreters there to help also. The people who should read this book are families that have been identified to have deafness. This is a helpful resource for them to be able to see that things have changed and help is available. Most of all I think that everyone should read this book, and be able to see what the deaf community is about. So they do not judge them because they are different. Society tells us all that we have to be the same, look the same, sound the same, and do all the same things, no one can be different or they are looked down on. This book says that it is okay to be different. I really think that this book put all these things into a different perspective for me and will for other families that might come across this situation themselves.
In the autobiography Deaf Again, Mark Drolsbaugh writes about his life being born hearing, growing up hard of hearing, to eventually becoming deaf. By writing this book, he helps many people view from his perspective on what it is like for someone to struggle trying to fit in the hearing society. Through his early years, his eyes were closed to the deaf world, being only taught how to live in a hearing world. Not only does the book cover his personal involvement, but it covers some important moments in deaf history. It really is eye-opening because instead of just learning about deaf culture and deaf history, someone who lived through it is actually explaining their experiences.
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.
Kimmy Bachmann A Journey into the Deaf-World Chapter 1 The narrator begins this chapter by introducing himself as well as his colleagues and co-authors. Ben Bahan, the narrator, is a deaf man from New Jersey whom was raised by deaf parents and a hearing sister. After spending an immense amount of time studying American Sign Language (ASL) he moved on to now become an assistant professor at Gallaudet University in the Deaf studies Department. His colleague Harlan Lane, a hearing man, is a specialist in the psychology of language and having many titles is a key aspect of this book as he believes, as does most of the Deaf-World, that they are a minority language and takes up their point of view to the hearing world.
What I found most interesting about Jarashow’s presentation were the two opposing views: Deaf culture versus medical professionals. Within the Deaf culture, they want to preserve their language and identity. The Deaf community wants to flourish and grow and do not view being deaf as a disability or being wrong. Jarashow stated that the medical field labels Deaf people as having a handicap or being disabled because they cannot hear. Those who are Deaf feel as though medical professionals are trying to eliminate them and relate it to eugenics. It is perceived that those in that field are trying to fix those who are Deaf and eliminate them by making them conform to a hearing world. Those within the Deaf community seem to be unhappy with devices such
Padden, Carol and Humphries, Tom (1988). Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
...people making decisions for the deaf community. The past resulted in the strengthening of unity in the culture. “They claim the right to “personal diversity”, which is “something to be cherished rather than fixed and erased” (Tucker, 1997).
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...
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.
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).
Hearing people can have a place in the Deaf community. Each minority group tends to welcome genuine allies and the Deaf community is no exception. But it is important for people who hear to remember our role as allies. We join the community to show our support, not to lead. We can help educate other hearing people, but we are not missionaries to bring Deaf people into the mainstream. Deaf people are the appropriate leaders of their own civil rights movement and teachers of their children. Our role is not to give Deaf people a voice; it is to make sure that the voice already present is heard. And we can do that. We can teach other hearing people to listen.
When asked, deaf people reply they would much rather stay deaf than catapulted into a world they have no association with. A deaf person becoming hearing would be like a hearing person suddenly losing their ability to hear. That person would feel out of place and will lose the deep connection developed with the people from their similar culture. Doctor William Vicars, a deaf person himself, discusses the advantages of being part of the Deaf community. In his experience, his group of friends tend to congregate around the kitchen table instead of the living room couches because the lighting is better and there are less distractions. When deaf people meet for the first time, each exchanges a detailed biography of their lives: how long he/she has been deaf, how he/she became deaf, what he/she does for a living, etc. (2006). The Deaf communities’ mutual beliefs connects them in a very close way. They are much more personal and protective of everyone in their “family”. A deaf person transported into the Hearing world would lose the connection to their community where beliefs, values, traditions, and moral attitudes were
First of all, I think that Sound and Fury was an appropriate film for us to view and analyze in this class. I enjoyed the lecture given after we viewed it, epically because it was brought to my attention that the follow up film was funded by people who make cochlear implants. We were reminded that not all documentaries are non-fiction or unbiased! I really appreciated that because I love watching documentaries (I think I needed that reminder). I also enjoyed the film, I thought it was interesting because I knew very little about the deaf word before. I have a hearing friend whose parents are both deaf, Sound and Fury made me much more curious about her childhood and how she and her sister developed speech. It also opened my eyes to how important deaf culture can be to deaf people!
The Deaf event I attended was the DEAFestival. This festival took place at the Los Angeles City Hall on October 3rd at 12:00pm. I specifically attended this event because I felt I would be much more comfortable at a larger gathering with more space and people rather than a small one such as Starbucks. Since the festival was greatly occupied I had more time to observe, take everything in slowly, and prepare myself. To say the least, I was extremely nervous. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I was genuinely that apprehensive. The cause of my anxiety was I because didn’t want to embarrass myself and I especially didn’t want to offend anyone. There were so many things going through my head. I stood to the side and repeated everything I knew about Deaf culture and American Sign Language in my head. Nonetheless, after several conversations with deaf individuals I felt marvelous. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I anticipated. The people I had the privilege of communicating with were very