I have been learning twitter lately. Sometimes I'm surprised at the things I read, and sometimes--I'm not. A hot topic though, surprised me, that even though I know people still label deaf as mute and dumb, I was kind of astonished to see that there are way more than a handful of people who still do that. I dont know if these people are just ingorant or what?
There are more than a handful of deaf who are sucessful, smart, brilliant even. Even there are deaf who's english is almost absolutely perfect. A well known lady is Marlee Matlin. She is in no way deaf nor dumb. And she's definitly not mute. Mute refers to someone who doesnt' have a voice. Have you ever heard a deaf person yell? Golly gee! I am deaf, and even I sometimes have to cover my ears! Mute--they are not!
There are hearing people who are mute. We do not sterotype them as "hearing mute". I mean..??? What kind of sense would that even make?
Little by little, our deaf world is growing in educating the hearing community. We still have a ton of educaing to do to be where we want to be. Some states are further along. I'm in Oklahoma--when I lived in Oregon-I didn't even have to ask let alone beg for an interpreter for any type of appointments. They also didn't force them on us if we declined.
In Oklahoma, as well as other states, these struggles continue. But thats for another blog.
My blog tonight was mainly on deaf/mute/dumb. *gulp*... Like there arent' any hearing/mute or hearing/dumb out there. I mean, its not really nice, but just because our communities are much smaller than those of the hearing people in numbers--doesnt' give anyone a right to stereotype us--or even label us of any sort. But, I suppose that will continue.
Just for anyone reading this, who has been guided to my blog tonight--leave a note. Do you think I'm deaf or dumb? Or even mute for that matter? Hmm, if ONLY you could hear my voice. Your jaw would drop. I wasn't always deaf. I could hear--onceupon a long time ago. One doesnt lose their voice overnight--nor to they lose their speech overnite either. If you were to become deaf tomorrow--you would still be able to talk. But either way--I will never be mute--unless something happens to my voice box. :-D
Just had to say...
Gee whiz, do I think you're "Deaf and Dumb"?
ReplyDeleteLet me put it this way, I -KNOW- you're Deaf 24\7, 7 days a week, so we got that one down pat.
I've always said you've got the "Duhhh-mb"s on Mondays, so I think I got that part down pat, too. .......(BTW, I think everybody experiences this on mondays at work, too, ha)
...and If I make you mad enough at me, I get the silent treatment, yes?... wont that qualify for "muting" the moment?
So yeah, all three tenets profiled here do work in your favor......(Evil Grin)....
I know you don't think I'm dumb. You through all these crazy big words at me, and "mumbo" sentences, which challenges me to use my brain--and u talk like that "points above"---gah only a smart person could ever figure out what you were saying lol.
ReplyDelete