I use it everyday. Marlee Matlin obviously uses her voice at home, around hearing people, on the Celebrity Apprentice tv show and even when she was roasting Donald Trump (see 2:25 mark). I understand that other people prefer not to use their voice and that is their right but lets get real here on a few things.
1. Just because you can speak well and how some people may mistake you based on your voice as a hearing person is not really a good reason to not to use your voice. More like chickening out and do the whole "my dog ate my homework" kind of excuse. Something just doesn't add up if somebody says that.
2. Reminding people that you do have a hearing loss and that they need to communicate with you better so that you can understand them comes with the territory of being deaf/hh. People with hearing loss ought to already know that but that alone shouldn't even be an excuse to not use your voice. Pretty dumb if you ask me.
3. Fearing that hearing people won't accommodate you with additional communication access if they discover that your speech clear and quite intelligible is pure baloney. Hinges on irrational fear. Having good speech does not equate excellent hearing. It should be quite understandable for them to realize the differences and importance of supplying you with visually oriented communication methods in order to help you understand and be an active participant. That fear or concern is a poor excuse not to use your voice.
4. Afraid of sending out a message to deaf people if you use your voice to communicate? What message? Is that a valid reason or did someone managed to convinced him/herself of that already?
5. Here's a good one I heard recently. Using one's voice will cause people to miss the spoken message or the content of that message because they were so enamored by a person's excellent speaking quality the message gets lost. What? You gotta be kidding me. That's the most absurd thing I ever heard.
6. Using your voice equates to the level of intelligence. What!? Gonzo logic there, dude if anybody actually thinks that. Either you are comfortable in using your voice or you're not.
7. If you need help in understanding what's being said then ask the people to change what their doing to better accommodate you. How hard is that? Of course, provided that you have a very understanding group of people.
8. Some people would say that the use of a one's own voice should be viewed as a gift and should only be shared with other people you trust. Lame to even think that, I say. That excuse is more like a reason to not talk in public because of some supposed "inadequacies."
9. And lastly, if one *thinks* his/her voice is just like a hearing person then it could be true. Why does this even matter?
Saying all those excuses is really an attempt to cover one's rear. It's either you can talk, can't talk or are simply afraid to use your voice and live in a prison of your own fear because you might "offend" somebody.
What's the next excuse?
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
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6 comments:
Speaking of intelligence, why do you think deaf were called 'deaf and dumb'? Dumb referred to mute as in voiceless.
If I have a voice and I can use it, why the hell not?
Sure, use your voice if you are comfortable with it. If not, fine. No biggie.
Sometimes I think half the time its the jealousy some of them have against those who do use their voice often to speak and communicate.
I have a preference. Some people prefer to sign. I prefer to talk because I can.
That's what makes diversity so great because we all have preferences and we all have our own unique journey. I don't judge people for their journey or where they must go.
If you're satisfied, then you're satisfied. What more do you want personally?
People have their reasons, whether their fears are irrational or seem stupid to others.
I disagree with one excuse you mentioned, being irrational or "baloney":
"Fearing that hearing people won't accommodate you with additional communication access if they discover that your speech clear and quite intelligible is pure baloney."
I can't tell you how many times I have to remind teachers and people working with deaf students with excellent speaking skills that they still need to be accommodated for their hearing needs. I think it is because the clear intelligible speaking skills make the hearing loss seem non existent and people forget.
I had to really fight for a student one time to be accommodated properly in class. The teachers and principal felt this student did not need it because of his excellent speech and coping skills even though he had a severe-profound bilateral hearing loss.
I have met some people who refused or were reluctant to use their voice because they were embarrassed by how they sound. Which is sad, but I do not think their reasons are poor excuses or should be looked down on.
(e
e):
I've talked to people about this and many times they do try and help accommodate people with hearing loss even though they speak fine. Sometimes it requires a herculean effort to get them to understand and many time they do understand the differences being able to talk versus having a hard time hearing.
If you don't speak up about this then you will never know. Refusing to speak or use your voice on the basis of an assumption (which is what I was getting at) that they won't provide you the necessary communication needs won't get you anywhere.
"Refusing to speak or use your voice on the basis of an assumption (which is what I was getting at) that they won't provide you the necessary communication needs won't get you anywhere."
Agreed.
*D*eaf here.
Who gives the f#$k what others think about her giving her own voice?
I don't speak well. I do talk to the members of my families without ASL. If I have the choice, of course, I would pick ASL to communicate but unfortunately they are ASL-challenged.
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