Chapter 37 was FULL of information that was new to me. While it was very long, it did address some very important points what I was unaware of. The book mentions early on in the chapter that "being deaf, they cannot hear themselves talk, and thus, can not easily modulate their voices." I can relate to this in a way when I have an ear infection, I get them quite frequently and when the fluid builds up behind my eardrum sounds become very muffled. Because my hearing is impaired, my ability to control the loudness of my voice is as well. If it is difficult for me who has been hearing for 20 years to modulate my voice with just an ear infection I can't imagine how difficult it is for someone who is Deaf.
"Why isn't deaf and dumb" an acceptable term?" I feel as if this concern should not even need to be addressed. It is a very outdated phrase and people should now know that it is not an acceptable term. Something I did learn from this section of the chapter is that "The American School for the Deaf was first called "The Connecticut Asylum, at Hartford, for the education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons." I can not believe that the words "asylum" and "deaf and dumb" were included in the title of the school! This really puts into perspective for me how times and rhetoric have changed! I have never herd anyone use this phrase, but if they did I would be sure to correct them or write a letter to the editor. At the end of this chapter there are examples of time magazine using the phrase "deaf-mute," once the public saw this phrase they wrote to the editor and actually got an explanation and an apology from Time!
Another "historical reference" that caught my attention was that Deaf leaders preferred to continue calling them selves "deaf-mutes!" It is hard for me to get over the fact that phrases like "deaf and dumb" and "deaf-mute" were acceptable and even preferred terms at one time.
Another thing I found to be surprising is that Deaf people do not like the term "hearing impaired," I am studying speech-language pathology currently at WKU and I have seen "hearing impaired in text books and websites many times. At first I did not understand the negative connotation accompanying this word, but after reading the reasons Deaf people do not like the term I now understand. In the future I will be sure to use the terms "hard of hearing" or simply Deaf.
I really enjoyed the story on page 223 about the women gong out to lunch and one being a hearing interpreter and the other ladies being deaf. I thought it was very bold of them to respond to the rude women making remarks about their signing and calling them "dummy's." This is such a negative word to use to describe someone. I have never been in a situation like this but I hope that if I ever am, I will have the courage to stand up for my self and others around me because stereotypes like this need to be stopped.
A point made in this chapter that really made a good distinction for me was the difference in "Deaf" and "deaf" I have been confused as to whether to capitalize the word or not. I think it does make sense though that Deaf with a capital "D" means Deaf culture and community. I actually included the word deaf on an important paper recently and was told by The Writing Center that it was not to be capitalized, so now I know the correct rules!
I marked so much in this chapter that it is hard to point out all the insightful and thought provoking points. This is definitely a chapter I will keep marked and refer to in the future for clarification.
:)
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