[Rook]

I'm Deaf...
And proud of it....
I don't believe that being Deaf is a handicap/disability, nor does it need "fixing"...
We have our own Culture{and sub-cultures*Latino + deaf, Queer + Deaf, POC + Deaf etc*.. }, our own Language {ASL / British Sign/ AuSLAN, ETC..}, Signing is the worlds 3rd most used Language, with it's own Structures, it is NOT the same as spoken English...
When a Hearing person assumes all I need is an invasive surgery, or hearing aids to succeed in Life, I find it prejudiced, and insulting...
I oftentimes butt heads with my Relatives, since they're Hearing, and refuse to learn ASL..
My constant reminder to them is "As soon as I'm sufficiently Fluent in ASL, and Spanish Sign, u better know some of it, or be ready to Write a lot..Because I'm not wearing these things any more than I have to"
I'm not a Purist Deaf{anymore}, but I also enjoy when someone makes the effort to be a part of my "world"...

I also have Dyscalculia, chronic Insomnia, I'm diagnosed Clinical Depression, PTSD & Borderline Personality Disorder{Also abbreviated as BPD, but not bipolar heh} ....So I can, basically, proudly wear one of my buttons...
" I may not be Black Belt, but I do know Crazy"....

I have short term memory issues....
My boi gave it a lovely title... "Swiss cheese memory"..At first, hy thought I was fucking around, purposely/conveniently forgetting things discussed, but after a few times hy said "you're not messing with me, u really do have a memory problem"
which is true...and never does make much sense...
I can remember shit that happened to me years ago[oftentimes triggered FlashBacks, yeck]... I can have a photographic memory for things months ago, I can quote Shakespeare and E.A. Poe on a lark...But, don't ask me about yesterday, or the day before...Not w/o some effort or a helping clue, I will stare blankly, clueless{if I met you yesterday in person, be prepared to introduce yourself again}....And yes, I have a real shitty time remembering anniversaries and birthdays...I'm also chronically Late[unless I make the effort by arriving 1 hour early], but that's part of Dyscalculia or so Im told..