What Culturally Deaf People Say about Hearing Loss Cure

Does the self-labeling “Culturally Deaf” means that a Deaf person does not want to have his or her hearing loss cured or restored someday should it become possible in the future? Should even we accept that premise as completely true? You would think so or at least I did but now I’m looking at this at a different light after seeing my own poll.

I did a poll not to long ago covering a stem cells story and how it could one day be the answer to help restore ear hair cells thereby restoring hearing loss. I asked the question in my poll “If you have a hearing loss, would you like to cure your deafness?” I set up my poll so that a culturally deaf person may answer “yes”, “no” or “don’t know.” I did the same thing for those who do not describe themselves as culturally deaf but either as a deaf or hard of hearing person. Now, this poll is not scientific one and I have no way of ensuring complete veracity of the results. I would hope readers of Kokonut Pundits who participated were honest in their voting. But what I have seen so far with 78 votes total is that those who describe themselves as “culturally deaf” had the most vote on “yes” (21 votes – although one person correct me on the error on picking the wrong poll selection so it should be 20) versus “no” (13 votes) to have their hearing loss restored or cured someday through biotechnology. I expected more “no” than “yes” votes from the culturally deaf group on whether they would want to have their hearing loss restored.

Shocked and surprised you might say.

The next most votes came from people who describe themselves as simply “deaf” had 20 “yes” votes compared to hard of hearing with 8 “yes” votes.

Now, if they are saying “I’m a culturally deaf person” does it mean “Deaf pride” always and that the ability to hear is not important and shouldn’t be in the picture? Are they “traitors” if they voted "yes" to have their hearing loss restored someday? A hearing wanna be? As for the culturally deaf group that voted “yes” more than “no” the results beg several questions.

1. Poll results could be an error and people are playing around by voting “yes” in the “culturally deaf” category. If that’s the case, shame on you.

2. Those who voted “yes” as a culturally deaf person is wishing or believing that he or she is a culturally deaf person. The person just want to be accepted by that group.

3. Those who voted “yes” as a culturally deaf person is really a culturally deaf person but is a closeted person who does have this desire on wanting to hear someday. Perhaps this person is more hard of hearing than deaf and does derive some benefits from his/her hearing aid or cochlear implant. He or she may even talk well and have good hearing enough to use the cell phone.

Whatever the reason or case the polling results certainly create more questions than answers on the real definition on what constitute a "D"eaf person in this day an age when complete restoration of hearing loss approaches closer every day.

Go ahead and check out the rest of the voting results. If you haven’t voted, go ahead and vote.