Life In Between Hearing Culture and Deaf Culture

[@gilcori1234]

Amanda, thank you so much for sharing this. I'm a novelist, and this is a most timely explanation should I need any further inspiration for a series on which I'm working. The story does not revolve around the main characters deafness, but she is deaf. She is more properly described as situationally deaf. That's poorly explained, but there it is. She lives in both worlds, as you've said so eloquently. I hope to see you acting in some roles coming our way soon. You speak with a passion and conviction that would bring a believable life to any role.

[@brianjordanfreeman]

I am in between the deaf and hearing world as well. I am profoundly deaf with bilateral cochlear implants. I was raised in mainstream learning to speak. I am now learning asl in college and getting involved with deaf community. I love sign language and I love English as well. The struggle is real but I stay strong.

[@Kathleen15J]

Exactly how I feel! I am definitely an inbetweener. Raised in hearing culture and one year ago started learning ASL and trying to join deaf culture

[@slartybahdfast]

Thank you for sharing your story! I am trying to understand and help overcome the many frustrations that come with hearing loss, and i found your video very helpful

[@franciscaampuero3378]

I completely agree with you. I also feel I am beteween two worlds, and I think that is something that not a lot of people have the chance to experience, and as you said, we get to see different worlds and learn from them, but it is also true that you don't really know where you fit it, and it can be stressful. I like to think of it as a new experience, and get something out of it. Also, I'm learning ASL in high school, but even though I don't know a lot about deaf culture, I have become interested in this new world, which is full of wonders for me, and full of amazing things, just like any other language. I feel very grateful for having these experiences, but sometimes I feel like an "inbetweener" too.... nice video, you explained everything very clearly and I appreciate that you share with us your experiences! so we (both hearing and deaf) can learn more :)

[@OctiveKyla]

Very inspirational and I hope your light brightens many people’s path and you show confidence, through accepting yourself that will always take you up that next hill. You get the NonVerbal Nod from way up here in the Arctic.

[@vbentley9193]

I interact occasionally with a customer who resenty lost full hearing. He comes into the Home Improvement store I work for and gets very frustrated trying to communicate. I asked "what is the best way to communicate with you?" He is not learning Sign language yet, doesn't Lip read, so it's by writing or using his phone memo app. I'm hearing and sign and I know sign language would help him a great deal. But he is not willing yet. I read Amanda ' s book and realize everyone is different and goes through the frustrations in their own way. I hope he finds his access soon. I'll keep helping him, at least he looks for me when he comes in.

[@inactiveuser819]

I relate to this so much.

[@acalvord93]

Zabrisa Z me too.

[@sticksthunder]

When I was a kid I went to a school that had a unit for deaf kids and my hearing mum would take me to deaf clubs and I met many deaf kids and some deaf adults. It was cool but then I kinda lost touch with the deaf world from my best friends leaving to go to another school (a deaf school) While I went to a hearing one with a unit. So I stopped signing I didn't need to so I didn't use it. Then college and Uni ect I went into the more hearing world again but in the summer I went to Guam and my cousin runs a deaf camp there and she teaches sign language while there and I learnt some again, having not used my hands to talk in a long time. It was so fun and I really enjoyed it. I'm still very behind in the deaf world but I want to be apart of it again, I want to find deaf friends and learn the language again, since my hearing isn't getting any better its getting worse and I'm missing a lot but since I can talk good..... they don't know I'm deaf why would they.. Even when I tell them I deaf...they forget in a second since I speak so well it's like nah you can hear me fine. It's weird to think that they must think if you can't hear them your voice should...get quieter to show you can't hear them..? lol

[@saywhathearing5761]

Your channel is very encouraging!! Keep inspiring others!!

[@nekodragon1249]

I grew up this way my whole life and same, grew up hearing world or culture and trying to find the deaf culture as well and I do know ASL as well.. Its not often easy and finding work is a challenge as well but it'll be ok on that to... Keep going you're not alone God bless...

[@TURQUOISEEYES]

I am an in-between person too. I started off hearing and went deaf...had an operation on my ears and got it back for a while....now it is gone again. I knew I would go deaf so I emerged my self in the Deaf culture....but I have hearing family. I was in a Deaf culture for years....then my hearing family moved and I moved with them and found a job. But ....I got in trouble a lot because of my expressions, bluntness and loudness from being in the Deaf culture. I found I cannot just turn my DEAF culture off when speaking to the hearing.....my hearing family understands this for the most part.....but they do call me to emotional sometimes. 😢

[@paulidin]

you're great! I need to get conversational in ASL so we can chat more. As a Korean-American, I feel this, though not as strongly as you. great video, Amanda!

[@paramedium5478]

Wow.Cheers to you. This vid was motivational. Keep it up!!

[@cottoncandyjaguar]

I can relate to this so much. thanks for sharing.

[@DeafieJackie]

Shared this video! It was great and also my same story too :)

[@ruthjones6943]

Me too. I feel the same.

[@iw9472]

I'm neurodivergent and this is how I feel with everyone and every group. I don't feel like I fit in anywhere and I'm learning to be OK with that. I have never fit in, so maybe not fitting in is fine.

[@slowfire2]

I get this in a way, even though I'm not deaf. I struggle with this because I am hard of hearing and became nonverbal as an adult. I'm learning SSL and about Deaf culture as an adult. I really feel like I don't fit in in hearing culture or Deaf culture. Hearing culture is not working for me and the Deaf community are reluctant to accept me because I'm not deaf and my signing level is not good enough yet. I'm struggling to learn, to connect with the Deaf community and make friends with people who are fluent in SSL. I struggle with feeling ashamed of my lack of skill in what I now consider my everyday language (since SSL is what I speak when I speak freely, but I'm not really fluent). The hearing people are not really interested in learning SSL and that is a hindrance to really communicate with them and makes me isolated. I am trying to make up my mind about which world I should focus on. I'm kind of rather hearing, but then again I'm not, in some way. The language and what I need for communication is what really makes the difference. Maybe I share a few points of view with the Deaf culture now, that I was ignorant of before, too. Hearing people don't really understand those. Like why I don't feel like my life is so bad because I lack the ability to speak orally and why it's so draining to use hearing aids and I prefer to not use them most of the time. I'm trying to find self-esteem, and not feel broken. Hearing people think that I am broken, lacking, less than. I'm not, really.

[@i3xCx]

Do you ever think of yourself as Deaf bicultural? I was thinking of a new term word "Deaf-Hearing BiCulturalism" "DHBC"

[@JennessAKADoryAsby]

I am an Inbetweener, and I'm lonely.

[@___KIT__]

I literally identify SO much with this video.

[@ronsontag2542]

Nothing wrong with two worlds. I don't know about other deaf people but to me, sign language is sign Language, no matter if it is ASL, English, others, I do both, anyway. Always enjoy your videos.

[@kathyjaynes9608]

I feel the same way you do stuck in both world

[@1lightdweller]

Those of us who are "late deaf" frankly have a separate culture as a result; a hybrid of the two that is also unique. We can bridge the gap between the two disparate worlds.

[@marvenlikness3966]

Well said, I am a late deafened inbetweener.

[@tudormiller8898]

Hi Amanda! I'm a new subscriber watching from London UK. 🇬🇧 Do you have cochlear implants ? I have a neurological disability called Auditory Processing Disorder, which means the part of my brain used for hearing is impaired.

[@steffyknight3469]

You shouldn't have have to prove your self just because you can't hear. I'm a hearing person but I'm taking Asl classes. It's hard to learn sign language when you are hearing because Im not part of the deaf community.

[@tudormiller8898]

Interesting video. I'm sure Amanda also gets abuse for not sounding like a typical deaf individual from people within the deaf and hard of hearing community. That's not spoken about nearly enough. There's also some resentment from those deaf people who can't pronounce thier words and sentences clearly towards deaf people who can. Speaking with a 'Deaf Accent'

[@tudormiller8898]

Has anyone within the deaf and hard of hearing community actually been mean or rude to you, because they feel your not "Deaf Enough" ? Do you have a stronger deaf or hearing identity ?

[@laurenlynch9448]

I am an inbetweener too.