Different Perspective Between Deaf and Hearing
Transcript:
Hi! I would like to share with you about my experience with hearing people at work. I happened to have a new baby. I was really thrilled to have a Deaf baby boy. Of course, I am from Deaf Family. When I arrived at work many curious and excited people looked at me. They were asking about the baby. I told them “it’s a boy!” A lady asked if my baby was normal. I was confused with her question. Two other Deaf employees stood by. They got the puzzled looks on their face. All of us looked at each other then I told her the baby is normal. She said “ No-No … I mean is he hearing or deaf ? “ Oh! Deaf! A lady said “ oh I am so sorry….” Nothing is sorry for that because I am from Deaf family. I am the same as my baby. Everything is fine. So she was speechless. A few years later she got a new baby. Happily I asked if her baby was girl or boy. She responsed “girl” “ Ahhh, oh I see. Is she deaf or hearing?” She was puzzled. She said “hearing, of course! What’s wrong with that?” Then I said “ Oh I am really sorry. Hearing? That’s too bad!” A speechless lady stared at me and everyone laughed. It’s similar situation because she asked me the exactly question like I asked which it was my turn to feel sorry for her because I am from the Deaf family. We have different perspective.
Note from FB: this guy is Fookem and JFLMad’s dad.
FAR OUT!!!! Right on!! I don’t blame him for taking his turn!!! He got good point! LOL Thanks for sharing his experience video to all of us!
Shawn
haha! wonderful and clever! thanks for sharing…
Can’t stop laughing….. Been there seen it…. Surprising how ignorant most hearing people are. SMILE!!!
I love this one!
Cool!
A lot of hearing people don’t understand this thinking. They are sooooo clueless!
GREAT POINTS. I like your idea compare between Deaf and hearing.
You make me laughing so hard. Smart man.
by the way, congrats for your baby.
**High Five**
HA HA , Nice one mate!
I CAN SEE WHAT THEY MEAN ABOUT HEARING PEOPLE HOW THEY REACT AFTER FINDING OUT THEIR BABY IS DEAF.
I’M GLAD THINGS WENT VERY WELL WITH HIM NO FEELINGS WAS HURT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WANTED TO MENTION IS WHEN WE WAS AT A DEAF SCHOOL HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME WE BROUGHT ALONG OUR SON WITH US WHEN DEAF PEOPLE WALK UP TO US AND ASKED US IF OUR SON IS DEAF OR HEARING? WE MENTIONED THAT HE’S HEARING, WE GET THIER FACE “REACTION” FROM THEM THAT THEY SAID “DARN” AND WISHED HE’S DEAF, WANTED MORE DEAF BABIES BEING BORN.
WE WAS SHOCKED AT THEIR EXPRESSIONS AND BEHAVIOR TOWARD TO US AND THEY WALKED AWAY. THAT WAS KIND OF RUDE OF THEM. THAT MADE ME FEEL HURT AND WE ARE NO GOOD TO DEAF COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE CAN’T PRODUCE “DEAF BABIES”?
I AM GLAD HE’S HEARING BECAUSE HE DON’T HAVE TO GO ALL THESE SCRAPS I HAD TO SUFFER GROW UP BEING DEAF AND HE WILL HAVE LOTS OF CHOICES TO BE WHAT HE WANTS TO BE OR DO LIKE HAVING A “360 DEGREES” NOT JUST “180 OR LESS” DEGREES LEFT BECAUSE HE’S DEAF. HE WILL GO LOTS FARTHER IN HIS LIFE THAN I EVER WILL OR HAVE.
I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY MEAN IN “BOTH WAYS” DEAF AND HEARING.
IT SHOWS THERE ARE LOTS OF WORK TO BE SOLVED BETWEEN THEM
MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO BE THANKFUL ABOUT HAVING A HEALTHY BABY, NOT BEING DEAF OR HEARING.
IT’S THE MOST AMAZING THING U COULD HAVE IN THE WHOLE WORLD.
LOL!!!
*smile* Yep … One day, my 2 years old nephew was using his iPod, I asked my family if it’s a hearing aid or not. They gave me a look! How interesting – I used to wear a “big bulky body” hearing aid back then. @@
high five thank you for sharing
Great story! I must remember to tell that one to people who ask if my kids are hearing or deaf! (both).
Exactly… Purrrrfect one…
Smile, Aidan
ha i love it too! bravo! good one! share with us more
Funny! It was good to know that you advertently remembered what the woman’s response to you in few years back. Nevertheless, she had no clue what she did to you in the past.
I am impressed that you kept your memory for long time UNTIL that woman got her baby!
High five from me.
White Ghost
LOL. Hearing people have no idea what is Deaf World like.
LOL! Good ones, Hearing people know nothing about deaf culture.
Hi FB Readers,
Someone contacted me and asked if Fookem and JFLMad’s father got a new baby recently. Nope. His baby was born many years ago ….you have to guess who he was talking about ….Fookem or JFLMad. Guess who?
Bug
We (me, and the collective hearing) have no clue. We assume that having hearing loss is a loss. I can do something you cannot (hear), you can do something I cannot (talk with your hands, smile while someone plays a violin).
How will we be exposed to the Deaf world?
Although I am told that my city has a large d/Deaf population, I only know two through daily life (I wouldn’t have known they were deaf-they lipread and speak well), one through the internet (because the place I work has RWC movies).
The last full week of September is Deaf Awareness Week, according to the NAD site.
Funny.
It reminds me of the story a friend told me: when she was younger and was shopping in a mall with her mother. A young deaf person (with visable hearing aids) walked by. Her mother said “Look! A Deaf person! Go and say hi!”. Her daughter’s response: “Look, a hearing person! Go and say hi!”.
It is really funny.
Fookem, you actually vlogged!! Patting on your back!
I got the negative reaction when my two day old son was found to be deaf a decade ago. The audiologist said that he FAILED the test. I was like whoa whoa, time out! You mean he PASSED to be deaf! He was taken back. Loved your story! Keep on vloggin’!
Hey that picture of you surely looks different than you in the vlog…was that taken years ago too?
Barb, wait a minute….this guy is my dad.
-Fookem
Same things I have a two daughters. Every time deaf asked me if my girls are deaf or hearing.
I say Hearing. People say Oh, good!! but I sometime test hearing people other time. Lilly might cannot hear on right ear. They looking sad face. I said Oh, Big deal!!
they puzzled at me when I was single mother.
But funny?
I learned that Lilly might have a deaf children in the future. but dont know for sure. I am not worry about it .. Her half sister and brother are deaf.
Margaret
Oh my bad! I guess when I read, “Note from FB: this guy is Fookem and JFLMad’s dad.”, I misinterpreted as this guy in the video as Fookem. So that means you, Fookem and JFLMad must be brothers? But don’t your dad have a name? (*chuckling*)
I like that way smile
IS THIS NICKY HERNANDEZ, TALKING ABT. A SMILE, THIS IS REE REE
Sure thing about hearing people asking about hearing or deaf. I like more deaf people saying sorry about hearing. Go for it.!!!
Yea, ditto to Letha!
Love it!!
yeah that is good one, i had same problems as you had with ur worker, many years ago, my first baby was born deaf, my exwife grandmother asked me stupid question, ask me if my baby boy normal hearing, i said no he is deaf, she said oh i will keep praying for him to get hear some day, s0 i responed to her no i am happy to have him deaf because we are deaf family and then second baby born, it was girl the same question, she asked me, it she can hearing, i respond it to her no she hard of hearing just like me hard of hear,grandmother said oh, see i pray to keep her can hear from the first one. so i have never go back to see her again …
You said them exactly. Any more you can think of?
Merle
LOL I like that one story so funny my niece is going to have a baby anytime soon so I would ask her if her coming soon son will born hearing or deaf? she will puzzle hee hee .
WOW that is interesting. I consider myself to be the luckiest girl in the world to have such wonderful parents ….hearing or deaf! ps…I am hearing & my parents are deaf.
ha ha ha…..
you have a great point about this.
HIGH FIVE!!!
sure you kicked some butt. i am proud of you do that. yes i from hearing family but they dont understand what i am going thru between deaf and hearing about my feelings.. my mom never understood bec she old fashion and hard stubborn….
Wow! That is very good! I remember my mother telling me when my husband was my fiance 31 years ago and we sat down explaining that when we decide to have children, my children will be for sure be hearing! I looked at my husband at that time (which he is hearing) and said to my mom, “How do you know it will not definitely deaf?” If they are deaf, I would treat them any no difference! I asked my husband if they are deaf and he said he would love them no matter!I have two sons that are hearing but they are coda! They did not speak but used ASL until they were about 2 years old.
September 10, 2007
Hello Tom …..
Great thinking! You did a very good job putting your co worker in her place in a nice way. Hearing people need to understand that there is no need to “feel sorry” when they hear that a deaf baby is born to a deaf couple. I am a deaf educator and I know that most deaf children who come from deaf homes do better in school than deaf children who come from hearing families. I had a deaf student who could comprehend college-level stories when she was in high school. Both parents are ASL-deaf.
I am a other of 5 adult children…1 is deaf since birth and she was raised the same as the other4 and has had no problems and now is having her 3rd child. The 2 she has are hearing and they get along just fine . I see no difference in any of my children and hope the world could love everyone no matter deaf or hearing we were all created by the same master. Love them all.
I don’t blame you. But I wish you can take ovum and sperm into science then frozen them. So you can have 100% perfect healthy baby from frozen cell. Then your baby will be your ears!!! Too late so the world is ending soon.
Hope to meet God in heaven some day in future. We will be normal ghosting forever. -\,,/
I love it!! Bravo!!! Biggest Hand wave ever!!
)
I second you and high five! Wink! (I wished I had deaf children myself but I had none)
HA HA I THINK IT WAS SO FUNNY.
Well-signed! Like your shirt.
HAHAh i like that comments u made to a hearing person … good idea! LOL…same principle as “Can u read my “lips”"? from a hearing person to ask deaf person…then a deaf person ask hearing person “Can u read my “hands”" LOL..hahaha Great comments…
LOL! Thanks for sharing that story. I will send this to my all deaf friends.
Smile,
Novella
BRAVO BRAVO very good story make the hearing people neck go down ha ha
Bravo!! u are such a smart- guy and impact the hearing gulp…. Smile! Keep going as u can to prove them that deaf can and doing great as normal as ever!!!
YESSSS! I LOVE IT! I’ll share this
with my Deaf History/Culture class.
Thank you!
Barb Digi, answer your question…
My dad’s name is Daddy. I never call him real name.
-Fookem
I kinda laughed at the response Fookem gave to his co-worker concerning his new baby. Being 95%deaf and having a hearing wife, I am confronted very often by this question: “Is your wife deaf?” Probably the reason is because she uses more sign language in English rather than ASL. Yes, I get the absurd look and then am asked if I am deaf myself. “Oh, a deaf and hearing couple!” That tops the cake. I really don’t see why people need to know if you are a normal deaf or a hearing deaf, as long as you use sign language promptly. There is lots of mainstreaming nowadays and times have changed. Lots of teachers for the deaf retire to the school’s community, mingle with the crowds, and really you can’t tell if they are deaf or not, until you ask. Who cares? Hey, let’s let everyone in!
Another Bill
Good one, fookembug
Everyone-
I want to clarify and seems like some of you are still confuse. This vlog is from Fookem and JFLMad’s dad…not fookem or JFLMad. You can see some of JFLMad’s vlogs in some posts. FYI, fookem will never do any vlogs unless most of you can convince him to do some
Thanks
AND include Bug, too!!!!!!
A long time ago my doctor told me that he was worried about other deaf couple who has deaf baby and was afraid to tell them. I told him to tell them as I wish my children were deaf not hearing. He was amazed how proud I am deaf mother. I was a first deaf patient under that doctor thats why he accepted more deaf patients after that. I dont blame others who are deaf who are proud of other deaf families. All deaf people are close together like families since we attended Deaf schools. Keep fighting and save deaf schools for deaf children not in mainstreaming schools. Now my husband and I are deaf only in all hearing families.
Bravo!!!!!!! u gulped her LOL
Cool! My parents, grandparents, sister and others of my family are deaf. When I was born, everyone said Iwas deaf too. No problem! I would be 5th generation of deaf. A doctor tested my hearing for body aids to use at pre-school. NO, I NOT DEAF. Everyone was very happy as I can become family interpreter when great grandmother dies. I love ASL. I live as a bridge in the hearing AND deaf worlds. I am grateful for the gift of hearing. That gift can easily be taken away, but I could easily live in the deaf world. ASL can easily be incorporated into every child’s life in order to get early language development for both hearing and deaf. My daughter is hearing, yet she uses sign language like a coda and talked early. She is a very good communicator. Isn’t that what is important? Communication – for love, knowledge, sharing, and maturing – using whatever “gifts” we have from above. God Blesses Us! It matters not whether we can hear or not. What matters is what we do with our lives and what we do with each other.
ILY!!!
When my hearing son was born and told him quietly that he has deaf parents, smile
This is so GREAT! I am not deaf, but do have family members who are. I’ve never felt any different than those who are not able to hear. I have however like here in this story witnessed the ignorance first hand with my family. This is was wonderful to get this out there!
Hooray!! u smart guy!!! I am sure that u impact her back. Bravo!!
Bravo! This is great…They did not think what is human means…not matter what hearing or deaf… Be love to each other… :0)
Hello everyone,
I have giggled at all of these posts after that extremely funny story, and I totally understand
everyone’s thoughts on this perspective.
I have one of my own, although, has nothing to do with a child being born deaf or hearing.. Does it really matter?!?
Anyway, some years back my very first “boyfriend” ( I am thinking I was about 13 years old) was a very cute, popular boy in my school and I thought I was lucky to have him as a boyfriend until the day he said to me,” you know, we can never marry!”
I was horrified & heart-broken but mostly confused at his blatant statement but I asked him, “Why?, I don’t get it”
His totally ignorant statement to me in reply was, “Because our babies would be deaf like your parents, and I dont want to have deaf kids!”
At that moment I was totally stunned & hurt and never spoke to him again.
As a child I was always teased & ridiculed, mostly behind my back by the people who I thought were my friends.
It took several years for me to see the light.
God gave me Deaf parents who taught me compassion for others, ability to adapt to any situation & to accept everyone for who they are.
I am blessed to be a hearing person living in a Deaf world for I am a better adult and parent for it.
I have always thought my parents missed out on hearing my son coo & gurgle to them when they talked to him.
I have always thought they missed the wonderful sounds of a waterfall or crickets in the night.
The truth is.. it wasnt them that missed anything, they were able to see my sons eyes light up at seeing their faces. See him respond to them with a sweet smile from across the room.
Those crickets I thought they missed, was actually me missing the blessed sound of SILENCE!
So on that note I say BRAVO, Dear Deafies, stand up and be HEARD!
I <3 you all
Ha! Good for you!!
(Some hearing people just never learn. Duh)
bravo for saying that. i remember when my mom asked the nurse if my second baby can hear. the nurse knocked the window and she heard the noise so she is hearing. i have first hard of hearing baby. guess my mom was concerned if my second baby can hear. no matter how healthy they are if they are deaf or hearing.
yess high five.. i agreed w you 100 percent.. giggle and proud of you what u did turned back to ur hearing co-worker… yesss! keep up! smiles…
I am hearing married to deaf Lady. I don’t understand why deaf think its not right for deaf to have hearing baby. To me the baby has it the best in both worlds. Baby can hear and be taught ASL..More rounded education for baby
So Funny!!!!!!!!!!! I want to share with u .. itis not same story but i want to share with u all..
When I was in teenage year, My mom and I went to shopping and found that the 30 to 50 per cent off on clothings so we figured our cost on the clothes that we wanted to buy and the lady who worked there, she asked my mom that can she read? My mom ( hearing) so she said oh yeah with pluzzed as she saw us figured the percent of the cost… oh well we laughed. ok Just to share it>> thank u
Ha ha that good one … Deaf is Deaf … Hearing is Hearing … other word it shame hearing have deaf child turn into hearing child, I do not agree with this … and fact any doctor does not know real reason that they are hurting many deaf community and what ever god gave, it will be Blessing,
I was born deaf but god gave me only one voice so i stand up for Deaf, Thank you.
Right on! I totally agreed with you, lol! I would do the same thing.. ha! thanks, darlyn of louisiana
My sister is deaf and i admire her more than anyone i know. She has never let anything stop her from doing anything she wanted to . She is the best mother and has more friends than most hearing people do. If i had a choice to be deaf or blind, i’d pick to be deaf. She can do anything any one else can and she makes it look so easy. I’m glad you had a chance to show that woman how silly and stupid she sounded.
You said you wouldn’t publish address, take it off.
LOL! Just perfect. When will hearing people ever learn. Thanks for sharing.
it is a funny one ,, it is a fact ,, good one! winkz
Yeah, I heard that story! Funny eh? I remembered my mom telling me this story since she worked with you.
My son who is hearing and his friends were discussing babies and what if his child is deaf. Sadly, some of his friends thought it was horrible that he was “ok” if his child is ever deaf. Perspective of hearing still remains the same to this day. Some who know us very well (over our house often) are the ones who do not see anything wrong with it. Exposure to deaf culture is the key.
My, how the table turned!!!!
Oh, that’s really funny to see her reaction after you asked her if her baby is deaf? Lol
Bravo! Deaf 1 Hearing 0!
Anyway, Our son was born deaf so the doctor at John Hopkins Hospital wanted to research our family tree to predict if our next baby will be hearing or deaf. A few weeks later, we went back to his office with our interpreter. He said he and his team doctors agreed that our next baby would be bad news for us. For a sec we thought it would be blind or retarded or have down’s sydrome or worse, but he said it would be another deaf baby. We looked at each other puzzled why in the world he said deaf was such bad news. Our interpreter started cussing him out. We told him that we would be thrilled if our next baby was deaf and we knew he was very puzzled.
laugh good one
I secondly you how the hearing people feel about deaf people there is no big deal!!! good one!! smile
Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone were just accepted and loved for who they are; not compared against others on some gradient scale? I have a friend who had a baby with Down’s Syndrome. The next time she got pregnant the doctors wanted to run a test on her to see if this baby would have Down’s too. She said absolutely not! She loved her baby with Down’s, and she would love her new baby regardless. A very different perspective on being “different” from one another. But, sadly, I don’t think people will ever learn to not be afraid of what’s “different” from themselves.
Laughing, good for you!!!
was
Not exactly two different perspectives because one group is confused and the other is just up to standard. who wants a handicapped child ??? if we let a hearing person teach us sign language a hundred some years ago and we are glad of it, then we should still allow the normal world to try and guide all of us, otherwise in a way we are doing like this “blind leading the blind ” I am totally deaf and I want my kids to hear. Too many stupid deaf persons around, especially the professional deaf, whom are really not that professional to me in many ways, based on what I hear and witnessed. If you dont understand this comment, then here is another one. A criminal says so what if he cuts someones throat and another person screams foul. It is just that person who is just all messed up with his thinking and then causes many others to be messed up too with their thinking or myths. If a deaf person wants his child to be deaf then he is a very selfish person thinking of only what he wants. Gary Cook…Minnesota