Lounge for Deaf people and their allies

DamonK · 09-05-2012, 11:46 PM

I've been thinking about deafness a lot lately.

I blame Jennifer. I was going through signs in my head, prompting new thoughts in preparation for a Skype date, so to speak. That still hasn't happened because things can't seem to slow down here long enough. But I digress...

Back to deafness.

I get frustrated more easily than ever right now. All because of hearing. I can't hear like I once could. That's ok. I could cope with that. The silence is staring me down. That part is a bit harder. There will come a day...seems to be coming faster and faster...where I won't hear MBE's voice, high and light. I won't hear the Bear's voice, low and deep. I won't hear them laughing, I won't hear them make that damned dog of MBE's baroo.

And, you know, it really kinda pisses me off.

The Bear signs. More and more often I sign rather than speak. Then I remember I have to speak.

And get frustrated again. Why must *I* speak? I get that the Deaf population is only 3% or something like that. I don't mind having to use the standard language 99% of the time. It's that 1% that's incredibly silencing. I speak 2 languages. ASL and English. I speak them both very well. I ensure others around me are comfortable. I make sure to repeat what ever I've said in ASL in English.

I think....just once....since it happens so rarely, I want someone to speak my language... And me to not have to translate to English.

I think 5 days camping and having someone signing to me everytime she spoke to me, simply to adhere to my comfort level set off random thoughts in my brain.

Rant over.

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09-05-2012, 11:46 PM	#11
DamonK Senior Member How Do You Identify?: . Preferred Pronoun?: . Relationship Status: . Join Date: May 2010 Location: . Posts: 2,199 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 1,527 Thanked 7,762 Times in 1,881 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	I've been thinking about deafness a lot lately. I blame Jennifer. I was going through signs in my head, prompting new thoughts in preparation for a Skype date, so to speak. That still hasn't happened because things can't seem to slow down here long enough. But I digress... Back to deafness. I get frustrated more easily than ever right now. All because of hearing. I can't hear like I once could. That's ok. I could cope with that. The silence is staring me down. That part is a bit harder. There will come a day...seems to be coming faster and faster...where I won't hear MBE's voice, high and light. I won't hear the Bear's voice, low and deep. I won't hear them laughing, I won't hear them make that damned dog of MBE's baroo. And, you know, it really kinda pisses me off. The Bear signs. More and more often I sign rather than speak. Then I remember I have to speak. And get frustrated again. Why must I speak? I get that the Deaf population is only 3% or something like that. I don't mind having to use the standard language 99% of the time. It's that 1% that's incredibly silencing. I speak 2 languages. ASL and English. I speak them both very well. I ensure others around me are comfortable. I make sure to repeat what ever I've said in ASL in English. I think....just once....since it happens so rarely, I want someone to speak my language... And me to not have to translate to English. I think 5 days camping and having someone signing to me everytime she spoke to me, simply to adhere to my comfort level set off random thoughts in my brain. Rant over.