Although the Deaf community may struggle to succeed, it is possible! There are two ways to write the word deaf, and they both mean something completely different. The word deaf written with a small ‘d’ has many negative connotations such as deaf and dumb, and is in connection with audism, which is the oppression they face from hearing people who think less of them. As for the word deaf written with a big ‘D’ – Deaf, that promotes positivity in the Deaf community, that is why it is the Deaf community, not the deaf community. The big letter ‘D’ represents the big success they can reach. It shows they’re not bound by labels. Being a Deaf child can be challenging because they don’t know about the careers and jobs that they can get. A long time …show more content…
Deaf people can do anything they want; they just have to follow their dreams. Many people admire or are fans of some famous Deaf people like Marlee Matlin, Nyle DiMarco, and other Deaf names. Marlee is great actress and author, and she is a very brave woman. Her family did not know official sign language but had “home” sign language instead. Nyle DiMarco was a two-time reality show winner from the two shows, America’s Next Top Model Cycle 22 and Dancing with the Stars Season 22. He loves to do activities that are involved in the Deaf community, as well as helping Deaf children; Deaf people can “do” life too. Do not listen to the people who always tell you, “You can’t, you can’t, you can’t!” It is very annoying, do not listen to them! It is wrong to judge other people because only God can judge people and God knows what their future holds, not the naysayers. Remember it is very important to bring an interpreter to a job interview. Everyone can be strong; we are human just the same. They are Deaf Power! “The opportunity to communicate in sign language, one of the most beautiful languages in the world, is an advantage that Deaf people enjoy. It’s a language that combines several elements at once with a simple hand movement and facial expression: meaning, affect, time and duration. It’s just so beautiful that printed or spoken words can’t begin to describe it” – Marlee
From being a competitor on Dancing with the Stars, to an actress on Switched at Birth, Marlee Matlin is known for her overflowing amount of talents. She seems to do it, and quite effortlessly while she’s at it. But, the one thing she cannot do, is hear. To quite a few people, this may seem as a disadvantage, but to Marlee this is quite the opposite. She embraces her uniqueness and strives to show her disbelievers that she is capable of anything that she sets her mind to. Despite the many challenges she has faced, Marlee Matlin remains determined, unique, and an advocate for the Deaf culture.
The movie “Audism Unveiled” was a very interesting and powerful movie. I never realized that deaf individuals are discriminated against. This could be partly because I have never been immersed in or educated about the deaf culture until this year. One of the things that struck me the most while watching “Audism Unveiled” was the many heart wrenching stories about children being unable to communicate with their own non-signing hearing families.. The deaf child would have to ask their family members, why everyone was laughing or what’s going on. The family members would just tell them “I’ll tell you later” or “Nevermind. It’s not important”, resulting in the individual feeling isolated. Personally, I agree with people saying that if a parent has a deaf child they should learn how to sign; communication is what brings families together. As a result, the most intriguing thing to me was the stories of family members never learning American Sign Language; leaving their family member isolated.
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.
Have you ever felt like there was nothing you could do for your child? In the book, Deaf Like Me, by Thomas S. Spradley and James P. Spradley, I can tell you the journey that Lynn’s parents had to take to get her help. This book was excellent, I really liked the way that they described the ways that they tried to help Lynn to understand the world around her. In this book, I also saw how a mother and father can do anything for their child so that they can understand all that is around them. This book, is also a great asset to any family that might be unexpectedly thrown into a situation that they do not expect, such as a deaf child.
There are two different types of the word deaf. Deaf with a capital D means that your language is American Sign Language and you can and choose to sign all the time. Deaf with a lower case d means that you are hard-of-hearing and American Sign Language is not your primary language. Culture is defined as “the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought” (Zinza 53). In el Deafo CeCe is described as deaf because she uses hearing aids, she does not use American Sign Language, and she is not part of the Deaf community. An example of her culture would be when she went to the school where everyone had hearing aids so she was not the only one that was hard-of-hearing. Culture can be described for any group of people not just 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
In this article, “The Deaf Body in Public Space,” Rachel Kolb explains how interacting with people who do not understand sign language could be difficult. With her hearing disability she struggled to communicate with her peers. Kolb further explains the different situations she has encountered with people and comments that are made with first intercommunications. Going further she also mentions how she struggles with two languages and two modes of communication.
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.
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.
Hakim watched the American General writher around in a mask of pain. He looked away; he could not bear to watch this torment. Hakim knew he was not cut out to be a part of this merciless gang that everyone called the Taliban. But Hakim knew that the Taliban were not murderers. He was certain that what they did was only for the good of the people. They had never harmed anyone before. But all that changed with the humiliating and public death of the leader of the gang, his father.
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...
From a deafness-as-defect mindset, many well-meaning hearing doctors, audiologists, and teachers work passionately to make deaf children speak; to make these children "un-deaf." They try hearing aids, lip-reading, speech coaches, and surgical implants. In the meantime, many deaf children grow out of the crucial language acquisition phase. They become disabled by people who are anxious to make them "normal." Their lack of language, not of hearing, becomes their most severe handicap. While I support any method that works to give a child a richer life, I think a system which focuses on abilities rather than deficiencies is far more valuable. Deaf people have taught me that a lack of hearing need not be disabling. In fact, it shouldn?t be considered a lack at all. As a h...
Over that time and the time spent here with the DSZ I have to say I have learned so many things about the Deaf community. How most individual that joins the communities are here for friends and family, to have and build connections with other individuals, to share their interests and experiences, as well as to just have a good time. Most individuals I have meet in the community have great pride in being Deaf, and don't see themselves as disabled. I have also found that the Deaf/Deafblind community is very diverse, including not only those individuals who are Deaf/Deafblind but also there hearing family members and friends, Interpreters, and others such as Deaf Studies or ASL students. At this point I would have to say nothing really surprised me yet, this may be do to the fact that I am open to all things and know that the community is always
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).
So today, I have shared with you my journey in deafness. Being deaf can be hard, but it is not the end of the world. I can do what anyone else can do such as talk, play sports and hang out with friends. Every person’s journey is different. For me the key to success is perseverance.