Me? Hearing Person??

7.12 minutes long video

Hi, ASLpride just mentioned that he was mistakenly identified as a hearing person. Where is ASLpride?? Anyway, it was a funny story. Go to this link, if you missed his story. I would like to share this with you. It is not only one time experience, but hundreds time, uh, no, thousands time, yeah.

It was no fun in the beginning. Whenever anyone asked me this question, I was feeling lousy. The questioner asked me whether I was hearing. I said no, I am Deaf. Then this questioner insisted that I really was hearing. I said, I am really Deaf. Still this questioner asked his or her friends to see if I were Deaf or hearing. Then if I had friends with me, I would ask him or her to tell this questioner and his or her friends that I am Deaf.

I was agonized every time I was being questioned whether I was Deaf or not. As time goes on, I grew to used to it. "Yep, me deaf." without any elaboration. Still some deaf people would like the full explanations, instead of "Yep, me deaf." It all depends on my willingness to explain, lol!

My very first experience was occurred on NTID campus during my first year after deaf school! It was in the middle of the winter. I was standing in the tunnel, waiting for the elevator to come open. I was standing next to a few Deaf people. I was standing quietly, cuz I did not know those Deaf people. One Deaf guy began to chat with the other Deaf individuals. I looked at the conversation. I realized I knew that guy a little, and I began to chat a bit with this guy and the group. A few minutes later, one person looked at me, as if something is not right. This girl asked me whether I was hearing. I was stricken, like a bat strike on my face. "Me? Hearing Person?? uh, no, I am Deaf." This person did not believe that I was Deaf at all. The group agreed with her. I was dumbfound. I responded back, I am DEAF!! Then the elevator came open, and the conversation was ended. I went into the elevator and was standing before the closed elevator doors, shocked at this situation.

At Gallaudet University, once a long while, I was asked by students; not only they being Deaf, they were not from Deaf families... I do not know what Deaf characteristic they were looking for, but obviously I did not provide them any Deaf characteristic. Then into the career world, I was continuously asked whether I was Deaf or not. It depended on what kind of people I was working with. Now, I am a stay at home mom, and I still get those questions whether I am Deaf or not. I do not know why I am "hearing" to some newly met Deaf people.

Isn't it interesting how things are being twisted in either way with Deaf communities?

Butterfly, like me...Deaf