I like to keep things simple in life and try to look for the more positive things. For me, I refuse to use my disability or my hearing loss as a crutch or an excuse in life. There are ways to educate people that's simple when it comes to communication access. People continue to learn new things when it comes to those with hearing loss. Many people I work or associate with have mild hearing loss and some do wear hearing aids. Few I know have moderate hearing loss. Sometimes in one ear or both. One is a young adult who has a hearing loss but only in the high frequency range but hears just fine but no hearing aids. And of course those who have much severe hearing loss and know signs.
Nothing is worse than to have people look down on you with pity especially if the person plays the game using deafness as his/her crutch. I refuse to see myself as a victim or behave like a victim all the time. Playing the victim card at every waking moment isn't a healthy life while accusing and blaming people all the time.
Accentuate on the positive. Keep it simple by keeping the path clear.
4 comments:
Good thoughts, Mike. It really bothers me when certain Deaf people talk about the oppression of Deaf people. I don't have a problem being Deaf. Don't feel oppressed in the least. My friends and family members accept me as well. I'm not perceived as broken or impaired. They think what I've accomplished in my life is fantastic. I'm college educated, gainfully employed, financially secure, physically and mentally healthy. I have friends who are Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing. I have friends who sign and some who don't.
How did that happen? Well, let me tell you about how hearing society "oppressed" me. They gave me SSI while I was in college so I had money to live on. It wasn't much, but better than nothing. The state department of rehabilitation paid for 4 years of college - everything. Later, I received SSDI when I went to graduate school. The state Public Utilities Commission charges all their customers a buck or two a month to pay for video relay services. Employers and private companies have paid for my interpreters. I have a discount transit card - 75% off the regular fare.
I wonder how Deaf people would feel if none of these freebies were given to them simply because they are Deaf. After all, they are claiming that deafness is not a disability, but an ethnic minority. Suppose Deaf people had to compete for jobs, support themselves by working jobs, pay for their own college education, and so forth. Won't they still be "oppressed" because hearing society may not consider them as on an equal footing with hearing people?
"Show by example" is also one of the best way to educate. Just go on with your life as usual without crutches. Use workarounds if necessary and forging on!
The general population will take notice of this, thinking "oh, perhaps I was wrong" or perhaps even "ah, they can drive!" :D
anony @11:43 AM,
I don't mind if people get SSI if it's a means to help themselves to bigger opportunities like going to school and get a career afterwards. But sadly many use it as an excuse not to go out and better themselves. I had to work to support myself and pay for school. I had to get a couple of college loans to help pay for my graduate school while I worked nights as a janitor and took up internship positions whenever possible. I don't have time to be a professional victim complaining about "oppression" 24/7. I don't even think of myself as being a "victim." No. LOL. Best you can do is to prove to the people on what you're good at. I never used my deafness as a crutch or reason not to improve myself further. People still need to be educated about hearing loss. There's no magic bullet that will solve everything but whining about it constantly will not help.
anony @7:40 PM.
EXACTLY!
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