Deaf Shaming
By Belinda G. Vicars
A: I thought you were Deaf.
B: I am.
A: But you....
heard the door slam
heard that guy whistle
have the radio on
turned when some guy shouted (or said) something
looked up when the plane flew over head
covered your ears with the microphone squealed
Hearing ranges vary among the Deaf. Some Deaf love to dance and can hear the
beat. I can hear drums and I love them. I just can't hear the lyrics. Some music
are within the Deaf person's hearing range and some music are painful.
I hear some voices better than others, with my hearing aid on.
Some voices I can't get at all, no matter if my hearing aid is cranked up to the
max.
The label Deaf does not only describe the person's physical state, but also his
or her identity.
Please be mindful of that. Watch your narrative. It's a pet peeve of mine.
For many, Deaf does not mean the absence of sound but rather diminished sounds
and how much that is diminished varies among the Deaf. One size does not fit
all.
The same applied to those with low vision or mobility issues, or any other
disability.
I thought you were blind....when a blind person with a white cane reads a text
message on his phone.
I thought you couldn't walk ...when a wheelchair user felt good enough that day
to walk to the mailbox.
I thought you were.....stop.
Notes: