Deaf First and Identity Second?
How we choose to identify ourselves becomes a very important part of who we are. Many people that are deaf or hard of hearing often question where they fit in. Not only relating to the hearing world vs the deaf world, but also within deaf society as a whole.
For example, I recently read a Facebook post where a woman who had lost hearing in her left ear was questioning where she “belonged” and what she should identify as; hard of hearing, single-sided deaf person or partially hearing.
That made me wonder. Is labelling ourselves as part of a group a good thing? It’s true that labelling might give us an immediate sense of belonging, which feels good, but are we not then giving the hearing world permission to label us too?
Why do we use labels?
Labelling refers to the act of attaching a label to someone to identify that person as different from the norm. Although everyone is different in some way or form, labelling usually defines one aspect to focus on and does not provide a complete picture of the individual.
Similarly, disability labels never fully describe an individual, it merely focuses on one aspect of that person, for example, that he or she is deaf.
However, a disability label should only be used for the purposes of medical or educational diagnosis. When people refer to us only by our medical classification, they are devaluing us as human beings, and that is not okay.
Your medical diagnosis should not define who you are, but these labels are useful when communicating your work requirements and personal needs.
My mother would introduce me to people like this: ‘This is my daughter Tina. She’s deaf.’
Cringe.
I am totally deaf and I lipread. I refer to myself as deaf. But I don’t like being introduced with a label. I have a name and I am me, I am not defined as ‘deaf’. I am not deaf first, Tina second. I am many things, deafness is just one of them.
Pros and cons of labelling
A lot of people that are deaf, especially those recently diagnosed and young adults, use labels to help them discover their identity and where they fit in. Using labels to describe your culture and community can help you find solidarity in a hearing world.
The advantages of labelling
- Sometimes used as a prerequisite to receiving federal funding.
- Helps you receive the right type of work accommodation needed to succeed.
- Feeling part of something bigger than yourself and finding your community.
- An immediate sense of belonging, helping restrict feelings of isolation.
- Feeling accepted by others like yourself and feeling open to sharing your journey and receiving advice.
The disadvantages of labelling
- Causes discrimination and may result in prejudice.
- Places limitations on those being labelled.
- Lowering expectations of what that person can accomplish.
- Once a person is labelled, other people might focus only on their limitations and not their strengths.
- Results in false assumptions, for example, people that are deaf can’t drive, read or write. People are always surprised when I mention I have a university degree in Japanese – yes, I really can speak and write Japanese.
- The vagueness of labelling can cause others to limit you and put you in a box, especially at work.
- May result in bullying.
- Might create faulty expectations based on previous experiences.
Defining your hearing capabilities
Okay, so in all fairness labelling your specific type of deafness might help you receive the support required for your work, studies and finding your social group. With that in mind, I thought it important we just clarify again which deaf definitions are acceptable.
Capital “D” Deaf: Usually refers to people that consider themselves part of the Deaf community and Deaf culture and are proud to be part of this cultural and linguistic minority.
Lowercase “d” deaf: People with little or no functional hearing. A general term that encompasses many groups of people over the whole range of hearing loss. However, that doesn’t mean they necessarily identify with the Deaf community.
Hard of hearing: Generally used to describe people with mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss. Our Facebook woman would perhaps associate herself as being part of this group.
Deafened: Also referred to as late-deafness, this is both a medical and sociological term to describe individuals who became deaf later in life.
Oral deaf: People that are deaf and prefer communicating verbally and/or use lipreading.
Hearing impaired: Not acceptable. An outdated label that carries the stigma of being handicapped.
Hearing: Mainstream, everyday people that have no hearing loss.
Separate the person from the disability
Labelling yourself as deaf or hard of hearing to help you find where in this world you fit in can make it easier to find other people that are deaf and make friends, formulate authentic relationships and help you navigate the complexities of being deaf in a hearing world.
However, be aware that you are unique and should not limit yourself to what you perceive your capabilities to be. Don’t let other people define who you are. You have your own talents, gifts and preferences. Go out and decide who you are and who you want to become.
Labels do not describe every aspect of who we are and might cause other people to treat us as they expect us to be (slow and rude) rather than who we really are. You only need to live up to your own definition of yourself, no one else’s.
If your label entitles you to communication support in the workplace, then contact us for a free demonstration in helping you overcome barriers to success.
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Like this article, it just depends on the label, those using it, and how it’s used.
First, a person with a form of hearing difficulty should choose their own label (if they want one).
Second, the person should choose whether they want others using that label, outside of professionals (like doctors).
Third, if the label is publically used, its up to ~others~ to remember to use it appropriately.
Basic common sense and empathy go a long way toward making labels positive things, rather than negative.
I like the comments above, and agree that we each choose our own identity. I also think that many people who identify as “Deaf” are native ASL users. It’s not just about “having little or no functional hearing”; it’s about communication mode and fluency in one or more languages. Last point: it should be up to the individual to decide when/if a characteristic should be mentioned, not only deafness or disability, but also being a single parent, one’s ethnicity, etc. Personally, I freaking hate it when others take it upon themselves (like when I’m being introduced to give a keynote speech!) that I’m deaf. I have the right and responsibility to disclose that info or not. Personally, I often tell people so they know I need to see them to be aware they are speaking to me.
Also the Defining your hearing capabilities part I am ‘hard of hearing’ but I hate that term for some reason xD
I much prefer people to say deaf it’s quicker and to the point. Also for me it’s more pleasing to hear I like the bluntness of the word DEAF more than the wishy washy hard of hearing term…
But that’s just me lol
Interesting.I applied for a job yesterday ,im 55 and recently had a hearing aid fiitted due to one sided noise induced hearing problems .The question was asked do i have any form of disability.do i say no and turn up for an interview wearing a hearing aid?not sure …
It’s surprising how many people don’t notice hearing aids and cochlear implants, or don’t even put two and two together! … Hearing aid means hearing loss, doesn’t it!
I believe you could say “I have some hearing loss, but it does not interfere with my ability to work to the full extent of the job:.
Labeling. Its always been Deaf first then myself to everyone out there except for my deaf accuquanices. Grew up Deaf was the first thing my own family looks at me or treats me. They never see me as Shannon regardless of all the accomplishments I had over the years DEAF will always be #1 to hearing ppl. They flat out ingored my true identity. So very few outside of my family sees me as I am and aknowlege of all my successes and failtures. For family they focus on failures and automatically “say see deaf cant do..” you betcha that did number on my emotionally and mentally. But I learned to rise above them and ingore their snide remarks all those years . Sad but thats fact for MOST of us deaf indviduals. Hearing People who just met me tend to paraylize when they realize I’m deaf wtf… USA NEED TO EDUCATE EVERYONE ABOUT DEAFNESS AND CULTURE. Some hearing ppl impress me when they aknowleged im deaf and speak slower in front of me and somw knew some signs that truly made our day so much easier!!!
At 46, I’m too old to give a hoot what people think so yes, Ill put my hair up, show my aids, i’ll pipe up and say I’m deaf/hoh, repeat that please, you need to look at me because I lipread, etc etc….. the only person that can help me is…. me.
I have one hearing aid only recently fitted for unilateral hearing loss,noise induced .i recently applied for a new job.one question asked if i had any disability do i say no and turn up for an interview with a hearing aid,i dont consider myself to be disabled. But will an employer?
Ehhh…. I honestly feel that this was an over-thought out reaction because in all reality, people NEED to know if someone has a hearing disability straight up from the get go. So why be difficult over which “label” should be used?
My experiences growing up taught me that my life could have been much easier if I were to have been more forthcoming about my disability but I wasn’t because kids were cruel. I’m not at all offended by using any of the terms used to describe my hearing loss. I find it VERY annoying actually because no matter how you look at, we are STILL living with a hearing deficit. My deafness, in which I’m part of a very small percentage, is bilateral hearing loss; born deaf in my left ear and severe hearing loss in my right. I took speech therapy in middle school and learned to lip read. I have also battled having a lisp and I still have a hard time identifying same vowel sounding words…like peer vs tear aka crying. They are spelled the same and sound the same but mean different things.
My school life and previous job’s were extremely rough for me. I was pigeonholed as being ignorant, a bitch, stuck up, unresponsive, abrasive, not a team player etc… You get the idea. Had I been more forthcoming, I wouldn’t have been perceived as a difficult person.
Now in my current life, this is the first thing I tell people, especially in my college classes. I am quite frankly, very tired of misunderstandings and poor communication affecting my life. So whatever someone’s preference is for themselves label wise, I just don’t give a shit. There’s bigger issues to worry about in the world than labels.
One can not avoid or hide being deaf. As a kid i did, so i ended up quiet, shy and a statue, to be seen and not heard. Later when i grew up…..grin….. i learned to be open of it. I can not hide being whom or what i am . I can chose to be ashamed or i can choose to be proud of whom and what i am. Bluntly i gravitate from being proud or being ashamed. People still mock or ignore me. And other people may like and reach out to me. Now …. when i meet someone or talk to them, be it grocery store, or function or work, i identify myself as deaf or HOH. Why ? Because i can not hide it. And it would tell them they have to face me or look at at me. And then and there i can sense if they will be delightful company or if they will withdraw in fear or in impatience. Some of them will react by attempting to sign to me and i am not a signer. Once upon a time i would be upset if they signed to me as if i was not worth being spoken to. Now …. i am delighted. So I love the words ….. “the good and the bad dances together”. The good heightens the self esteem. The bad challenges me , and teaches me lessons i would not be provoked to learn otherwise. They both shape my soul. I still feel hungry for attention though at times. And i hate being ignored, yet i do not want to be the center of attention in a negative way. And other times i am ok in my aloneness. I find sometimes i can go alone to a function and be a ghost and walk around and observe people around me. And then strangely i would reach out to initiate conversation and i get amused at times. I like the word serendipity. When strange things happen that are quite unexpected and delightful. On the other hand, sometimes too much attention is someone being controlling and manipulating of me. And i do not like that. And sometimes , other times, aloneness means i am my own person and i can do as i want. I lead what i want to do … no one pushes or makes me follow…. unless i want to for i am on my own, grin. I did enjoy the article and i need to read it again. Thank you for posting it.
Good article, good analysis. There should be another point included: the label “Deaf” can be a way of desensitizing people and weakening of assumptions. If many, many people carry that label proudly, the majority start to see them as people who have capabilities and need just a little accommodation for communication.
Very interesting article Tina. 😎 Who decides what is an ‘acceptable’ label and what is not? I often described myself as hearing impaired! It describes me. But now realise I am deafened, having lost my hearing aged 34. Maybe I’m hard of hearing….choosing a label, even for myself, is tricky….
Hearing aids don’t help me hear at all but I wore (bright coloured) them for the first 15 years just to let people know around me I am deaf, I no longer wear h/a due to them causing too many ear infections… I friend suggested deaf people should wear a badge saying they are deaf?
What the heck? I want everyone to know that I’m Deaf and that I have lousy speaking and lip reading skills. I held many different good jobs. I also owned two successful businesses. That’s why it’s important that Deaf children be exposed to as many excellent Deaf adult role models as they can.
I do appreciate the clarification of what each term describes, “Deaf” versus “deaf” for example.
As a quadriplegic, I consider myself a “normal” human being. Sure I live my life a little differently, but who doesn’t? I would hope everybody lives life a little differently than their friends, coworkers what have you. A person with a disability, regardless of the disability, is part of life, creation, just as stars, trees, puppies, bugs, temporarily able-bodied individuals are creation.
I do believe that identifying the disability in terms of good medical healthcare, employment and perhaps designing required accommodations are probably helpful. Labeling in terms of categorizing or identifying an individual is not necessary, and in my opinion, communicate unintended prejudgments and fear.
We are all different, I have a friend who wears a large badge that reads “Deaf not Daft” , not for everyone, but don’t forget no one can help you if they don’t know they need to, and most people would be helpful if they knew, although you need to tell them how, deaf awareness is not main stream more’s the pity.
To Deaf people who are born deaf and culturally Deaf I would say I was deafened. To hearing people I say I’m deaf. Normally I don’t have to say anything as have bright pink and blue aids to avoid the conversation. Also I sign so that’s a give away. I find with hearing people who have no association with the D/deaf world any term other than deaf makes them think I can hear far more than I can. I find that letting them think I can hear less actually works better. Labels have a place I feel. I teach horse riding and the number of times a parent hasn’t told me an important fact about their child because they’re desperate to avoid labels is ridiculous. Any word can be used as an insult, and it all depends on context. My boyfriend saying oi deaf lugs affectionately to get my attention is completely different to my mother’s oi deafo that she shouts in anger… use words kindly and when needed to pass information.
I find I forget that people don’t know that I’m deaf, so I don’t mind people that know me saying it to new people since then it makes easy conversation, like oh yeah I wear hearing aids *pushes hair out of the way
lol
And when I’m out and about I kinda wish it was better known, I’ve been in line before and the lady of the till got SO angry when I didn’t hear her call me up…
And I get tired of having to tell strangers ‘oh i’m deaf’. Oh i need to phone to make an appointment, yay(!) Oh you have an accent… Oh dear.. xD
I like my label since it reminds people that are ””normal”” that their are people who are different and go about their day without one of their senses. ^^
I tell hearing folks I’m deaf. I’m actually hard of hearing, with a half range in one ear in the low octaves. But it is easier for them to grasp “deaf” than “hearing impaired” or “hard of hearing.” I can correct misunderstandings quicker that way.
With my deaf friends, they know the truth. With deaf people I don’t know, I just tell them I’m “deaf” because some deaf folks carry along so much baggage about “hard of hearing” that it is often best to avoid it until I get to know them.
The labels can be useful, but more often they are used as sledgehammers against those who would greatly benefit from deaf culture.
Hearing folks said to me, “I’m sorry you can’t hear” and I replied, “I’m sorry you can hear”. Others said “You mean that you are Deaf and Dumb?” So I replied, “You mean that you are hearing and stupid?’
I’m hoh….depends on the cultural context you follow/how you were raised…Deaf people I know, culturally Deaf people – do NOT- consider themselves as having a disability but a linguistic and cultural difference. Most of the deaf and hoh people I know are my own age or younger and are also fine with “deaf” and “hard of hearing”, because that is blunt and open and doesn’t have connotations of trying to hide being deaf/hoh. I personally don’t like or use the term “hearing impaired” for a few reasons, nor do I like “hearing disability”, because that is a “politically correct” way of trying to make something seem nice that most hearing people actually *don’t* think is nice, but they’re trying to hide it. Again, it’s a cultural thing.
I have no trouble being labelled as deaf/HOH now I am older and have a CI. I used to be embarrassed before, now it’s empowering. I also don’t mind being called hearing impaired because that’s what I am, I don’t find it offensive, I don’t understand why it is
In Patiala School for The Deaf our children prefer to labelled. Where is the need to feel shy of being labelled. It should be taken as Mr. or Miss or Mrs etc.
I just had an encounter with a woman who writes that the term hearing impaired is empowering to her. When I wrote that it is out of date she wrote don’t police how I self-label! So impaired is empowering to her? Is it ok to use any label or term to self-identify even though it is out of date?
Hi Penelope, I suppose some people have their own preferences. i would be interested to know how she views that term as empowering.