I just want to start out to say that I was so mad when they didn't cancel night classes tonight, but now I am so happy we had class! I loved it! I feel like Jena, Josh and Ryan were some of the most down to earth, real people I have met in a long time, possibly ever really.
I think what I loved the most was when they talked about how important it is to be involved with both worlds-Hearing and Deaf. I also liked that they talked about it in a sense that it really isn't two worlds, but just learning how to interact with different groups of people. From my experience with the Deaf, it is fairly brief, I must admit, has been a completely different experience from tonight. Most of the Deaf people I have met went to high school with me, and I have met a few others through Deaf socials and things like that, but that's about it really. But for most of the Deaf kids who went to my school they D-E-A-F, DEAF DEAF DEAF! They were so into Deaf World this, and Deaf culture that, which I think is great, don't get me wrong, but at time I used to get so sick of it. With one of my friends, him and I would fight constantly over things like cochlear implants, and ASL verses SEE, and all those "hot" topics. I really do consider him a friend of mine, but I could slap him sometimes because he would talk down to me on some issues because I was Hearing, and "didn't understand." Whenever we would fight I would be so tempted to get up in his face and be like YOU ARE BEING SO HYPOCRITCAL WITH HOW YOU ARE TREATING ME AND THE POINTS THAT YOU ARE MAKING, but I refrained. Maybe it is because I'm ignorant of how the real world works, or a die-hard idealist, but to me, I don't see the world I live in broken up into sub-worlds. Yes, it has a million different cultures and sub cultures that people identify with, great, but we all live in the same world. I think separating ourselves into different "worlds" only keeps people ignorant. (This is going to turn into a rant probably really soon, so sorry, but I get passionate about these type things) For instance, I went to a premier of "Through Deaf Eyes" back in Louisville when I was a sophomore in high school, my first semester of learning sign language, and I remember getting SO MAD at some of the people there! After the movie people were invited to come up to the front and share their thoughts on....anything really. Well, needless to say the movie inspired a lot of Deaf pride, which I think is great, I really do, until you start talking about Hearing people like we're the bad guys. I sat through about four or five deaf people standing up and ranting and raving about how ignorant Hearing people are, and how clueless they are about Deaf culture, and they should really learn about it, etc. etc. etc. And to that I say yes, more Hearing people should be more aware and more knowledgeable about Deaf culture, but how about you SHOW ME HOW!! Never once did any of the Deaf people mention anything about Deaf people going out to educate Hearing people, or inviting them in to experience Deaf culture. It just made me so so so mad that it was so one-sided. Yes, it is great to say that changes need to be made, and yes, they do, but you have to be willing to put in the EFFORT to MAKE THE CHANGES!.
So, I really appreciated that the members of the panel gave it a general mixing of the worlds, and learning how to behave properly for both. I just found it refreshing.
Also, I loved Jena's comment about how we know nothing, degree or not, until we actually experience it. I just love that statement. It is one of those things, you know it is true, and there is no fighting it. Just like anything else, you are going to look to the person who has gotten their hands dirty in something rather than they guy who has read a lot of books on it. That's just life.
I hope I didn't ramble too much, and I didn't turn anyone off by what I said; I am just unloading my point that I have been carrying around for so long.
Thanks,
Natalie
Hey homie, you're entitled to your opinion. And your points make sense, so don't feel bad :-)
ReplyDeleteSteff
I think what you wrote here has a lot of power in it. I agree to some extent on most of what you said. When you said that the Deaf people after the movie were standing up and saying how hearing people don't get involved in Deaf things and how they don't know anything and then you made the comment that they should show hearing people how, that really blew me away. I had never really thought about that before in that way. In all my classes it is how hearing people need to make the effort and we need to educate them, but having a Deaf person share their experience would be so much more helpful. This was good and glad you got to get it off your chest.
ReplyDeleteI loved what Jena said as well about how just because you have a degree doesn't mean you know what your talking about, that was a great statement. I think alot of ppl need to be aware of that.
ReplyDeleteI can agree with quite a few points you made in this. And I can understand your anger. I guess for me, I just try to look at it from their perspective. They have been repeatedly oppressed just because they can't HEAR. That's it! It's a silly reason, but it's the truth. People like to have power and authority. We like to show dominance on pretty much anything we can dominate. That includes minorities. I think that there are Deaf individuals who do teach us, but there are others who don't and expect us to understand.
ReplyDeleteYes, we do live in one world, but we do have these cultures that have rules, languages, a way of life, etc. It just takes people to understand each other and try to coexist with each other. That doesn't mean we need to force our views on another person because our way is better.
The fact is (in my OPINION) it is their world. We can never be fully in the Deaf community unless we are deaf or hard of hearing. We have not experienced their oppression, their history, etc. We don't know and we haven't understand. And yes, Jena hit it right on the head: experience is key. It's like arguing with someone who lost a father that they understand their pain, but until you have experienced it and FELT that pain, you don't really have a clue... it's just an idea.
And it's totally okay to get angry. But just remember, not all Deaf are like that. It's an individual thing... just like hearing people. Some of us are much more open to teaching others about certain topics, while others expect you to just know or understand.
Can't win them all. =\
chelsea Eddins
I completely agree with your thinking. I realize that there is a small group of hearing people who are trying to learn Deaf culture so that they can help educate others and that for the most part hearing people are just oblivious to everything going on around them that is different from them. But at the same time, that small group is STILL THERE. Some people are actually trying. And I think many Deaf people are quick to jump to the conclusion that no hearing person is trying and to immediately begin playing the victim and shut hearing people completely out of their life simply because they feel not enough effort is being made as a whole in the hearing world. This to me is just plain stupid and is no different than what they are accusing the hearing world of doing to them. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have tried to socialize with Deaf people and been rejected because I was hearing. While some can be friendly and encouraging of hearing people learning to sign, others think we are trying to infiltrate and violate their perfect little world and language. It irritates me to no end. If Deaf people want hearing people to be open minded and accepting of them, they need to bestow the same courtesy.
ReplyDeleteEmily Bruner
Hey guys,
ReplyDeleteI just read through all the comments on here, and then had to re-read my entry. I realize that I came off really really angry in this, and at the time I was, but I think I didn't fully explain my point properly. I understand that Deaf people aren't playing victim to this and that nothing was/is wrong with how they were/are viewed today. I love Deaf pride, and having a strong Deaf community. I love Deaf people really! I feel like I went really overboard on my point here. Really, what I wanted to say is that I just want people to see that you can't accuse other people of being the problem if you aren't willing to help fix it. I have met several Deaf people who are totally open and helpful, just in my high school I was exposed to some Deaf students who I felt were very one-sided on their opinions and they had to be right, and didn't look at any other perspectives because "they knew better" than Hearing people
We all definitely live in the same world, the Deaf/HH and Hearing. It's a matter of learning to learn to deal with ourselves as a person too as well as with others. It is not always easy but for all of us in this world; it is time to come together as a whole while keeping our identity of ourselves: Does this make any sense?
ReplyDeleteYes Mary it does
ReplyDeleteI loved the quote about not knowing anything just because you have a degree! There is so much more to life than what can be taught in a classroom and I think you learn that from your own experiences and interactions. As a future OT, I can learn all I want about human anatomy, what needs to be done in forms of therapy but at the end of the day, if my treatment doesn't interest my client, then I need to start over completely because it will never be as successful as it could be had I taken the time to consider my client. And what worked for one gray-haired 75 year old woman with a hip problem may not work on the next! It's all about meeting your challenges and working to do your best in that specific situation.
ReplyDelete