“So what is your major?”
“Oh, I’m an ASL-English Interpreting major.”
“Oh! So you know sign language??”
“I know some, yes haha.”
“Wow, that’s so kind of you. Choosing a career to help dDeaf people!! That’s so nice.”
Wrong.
Hi, I’m an ASL-English Interpreting major. At RIT, there are more than 1,100 dDeaf and hard of hearing students. Among colleges everywhere there are many more dDeaf students than you probably think, not to mention 600,000 within the US according to Gallaudet University.
However, for those who grew up totally disconnected from the Deaf world: hearing family, hearing friends, no real education about the Deaf community- you may be totally oblivious to this entire community of people. Which is not a bad thing if you’ve never been educated! All I ask is you read on.
Quick disclaimer: I am hearing. Therefore my deaf girlfriend is reading this for approval, as just with any other majority minority conversation, if you’re not a part of the minority, you don’t want to speak on their own experiences. We want to be allies, but not invalidate their experiences by speaking for them.
(I have a list down below of dDeaf creators where you can learn more!)
Now, back to the dialogue. Being dDeaf does not mean you need “help.” It simply is just something that is. I’m not interpreting because they need me to. dDeaf individuals are entirely capable on their own.
Think about a translator. If someone who spoke Spanish and someone who spoke German wanted to have a conversation, they may hire a translator. You wouldn’t view the Spanish-speaking person as needing help, or the German-speaking person as needing help. They’re simply two people with a language barrier, and the translator is just there to help translate their messages.
The same applies to sign-language users.
Not to mention, not all dDeaf people use sign. Some prefer using oral methods, getting hearing aids or cochlear implants, then attending speech therapy and learning how to speak. Others prefer using 100% sign language (and, there’s many types of sign language! It’s pretty cool.)
You may or may not have noticed, I’ve been spelling dDeaf with the lowercase “d” and capital “D.” Some dDeaf individuals choose to identify as either deaf, or Deaf, and some don’t really believe in aligning themselves with either one.
The term, deaf, tends to mean less culturally deaf. Deaf culture is incredible, with their own events, manners, languages, etc. However, some deaf people choose to be less culturally-rooted, and focus more on the medical aspect of being deaf.
The term, Deaf, is just the opposite. Deaf usually means very culturally Deaf, attends the events, follows the manners, uses sign language, etc.
Neither are right or wrong, of course, it’s like any other part of our identities. It’s something personal to that person.
One more quick thing: dDeaf people are not hearing-impaired. Again, some may choose to identify that way, but saying it is quite rude.
You might be confused, as dDeaf tends to mean not hearing. However, the word “imparied” inherently comes with the concept of being less than, or incapable. Yet this is entirely untrue.
A dDeaf person can become a newscaster. An actor. A teacher. A life coach. A physical trainer. A therapist. Anything a hearing person can do, so can a dDeaf person.
(There’s even dDeaf interpreters!!)
The only difference between a dDeaf individual and a hearing individual is their ability to hear. Doesn’t make either superior or inferior.
Many, however, will treat dDeaf individuals differently because of the fact they’re dDeaf. This is known as audism. It’s the same concept as any oppression a minority receives. It’s simply discrimination for the simple fact of who they are, similar to POC, LGBTQ+, and women. (Note: Their experiences can all be vastly different, this comparison is just to help get the idea of discrimation across).
Now there is so much more to this community, this was a very, very small introduction. If you want to become a better ally and learn more, check out more from these Deaf creators!
Sign Duo – Youtube
deafthat – Tiktok
The Daily Moth – Youtube