Deaf People Research Paper

The hearing world has not made much effort to learn more about the Deaf culture until recently, but the majority of the hearing population still does not have sufficient knowledge to get along with the Deaf people. However, there are some people who are interested in the Deaf people and their culture that want to understand enough to get along with the Deaf. Usually, they have many questions but they avoid asking the Deaf in fear of offending them. For example: How do Deaf people feel when a hearing person approaches them in public using sign language, Why do some Deaf people not like the I love you sign, Is it unethical for a hearing person to publish a book of restricted ASL signs, and Who owns ASL? There are books to answer those questions (specifically For Hearing People Only),

I think that is understandable, since there are “older children who mimic and mock the signing of the Deaf people because they think it’s funny”(Moore, Levitan, and Lane 202). I do not use ASL, but I have had that negative experience with Cued Speech. A hearing stranger offering to interpret for the Deaf person is another act that Deaf people find disrespectful. They will see it “as patronizing, perpetuating, an offensive stereotype…”(Moore, Levitan, and Lane 201). This makes sense, but if the hearing person just wants to help, I do not think Deaf people should be embarrassed or upset. It does not mean they think you are helpless, sometimes they know it makes it easier for the deaf person. However, I do know where the Deaf people are coming from too – it is easier to do things on their own (like ordering food) with all the technology we have now. I mostly agree with the Deaf people’s view about enjoying hearing people coming up and introducing themselves in sign language, since I love it when hearing people want to make the effort to talk to