What It's Like To Be Deaf | AJ+

[@ajplus]

Transcript Cahlah Chapman: I am 23 years old and I'm in college, I have a job, I pay my bills and I'm perfectly fine. Title: AJ+ Untold America 5 Myths About What It Means to Be Deaf Rocco Lauricella: When it comes to meeting hearing people for the first time, my experience is that they always try to talk to me, and I’m like, I can't hear, so they think they can speak louder. But that’s not really helpful because I’m Deaf. Text card: Myth 1: All Deaf People Can Read Lips Lower third: Rocco Lauricella, Videographer, Editor Rocco Lauricella: And then they will probably think that I can read their lips. Not all Deaf people can do that. Some can. They’re really good at reading lips because they've been practicing their whole life. Lower third: Shaheem Sanchez, Dancer, Actor Shaheem Sanchez: I read lips, but most of the time they have to repeat. Huh? Say it again. Sometimes people say never mind, never mind. And that's kinda rude. Deaf people want to know what's going on. What you say? Don’t say never mind to me. I want to know what you saying. Help me show it. You know, then I can help you. If you help me, I can help you. Text card: Myth 2: Sign Language Isn’t a Real Language Lower third: Pearl Pearson, Jr., Retired Department of Defense Employee Pearl Pearson: And sometimes when hearing people see Deaf people signing, they think it means that we're dumb or that the signing is wild or out of control, and they don't understand what it actually means. Lower third: Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, Director of Training, Gallaudet University Bridgetta Bourne-Firl: ASL, American Sign Language, is a language, a language that has its own formal syntax, grammatical structure. Rocco Lauricella: First, I’d say, it's a beautiful language and it's a wonderful way to express yourself. Bridgetta Bourne-Firl: It is a formally recognized language aligned with any other language, like Spanish or French. Text card: Myth 3: Deafness Is a Disability Bridgetta Bourne-Firl: So is being Deaf a disability? It's true, I don't hear certain things that those of you who can hear are able to hear, and yet why should that be the focus, on that deficit way of thinking, when instead we could focus on all the good that life brings to people who cannot hear, the amazing things that people who are Deaf have, as opposed to focusing on what it is they don't have? Lower third: Victoria Hoyer, Substitute, Iowa School for the Deaf Victoria Hoyer: We are a loud people because we will speak up for our community, we will protect our own, we are not a quiet, subdued people. Text card: Myth 4: Deaf People Are All the Same Lower third: Cahlah Chapman: Gallaudet University Student Cahlah Chapman: I identify myself as a Black Deaf woman. Shaheem Sanchez: Even with a hearing aid, I’m hard of hearing, I’m still Deaf at the end of the day. Lower third: Jessica Vallejo, Student Jessica Vallejo: Yes, I like to have my [cochlear] implant. I can’t really hear when you really whisper. I can’t at all. Rocco Lauricella: I'm still struggling with my own identity. I’m fourth-generation Deaf. My grandparents and parents are Deaf. Lower third: Talila A. Lewis: Attorney, Deaf Rights Advocate Talila A. Lewis: So within Deaf communities, we have people of all races and ethnicities. We have people who are gender-nonconforming and trans, we have blind and disabled people, we have CODAs - children of Deaf adults. So the community is much more rich and varied than most people think. Visual Description: The word “CODA” and an arrow points to Talila. Text card: Myth 5: The Deaf Community Is a Closed Community Bridgetta Bourne-Firl: There are some perceptions about the Deaf community that we are a very closed community and that we're against spoken English and the Deaf community is against cochlear implants. Often young Deaf people will find themselves and find their identity whenever they become a member of the Deaf community, where they discover others who are like them. Victoria Hoyer: We don’t bite. We’re actually a very friendly, opened, welcoming group. And when a hearing person connects to the Deaf community and learns how to sign, it’s a beautiful thing and it’s a beautiful connection between that person and the whole community. Lower third: Jeffrey Newton, Engineering Drafting Clerk Jeffrey Newton: You know, we can be funny, we use body language, we laugh, and hearing people give us a look sometimes and we have that same humanity. Jessica Vallejo: Just treat them like hearing people. They don’t like the way you talk slow. Like, "Heeeey, my…" No. Just don’t. Just say, "Hey, my name is Jessica," whatever. Pearl Pearson: I want them to know that we'll come up to them, that we'll talk to them. We can talk about what we like to do, what our name is. We just want to talk to them. We want to have that chance, and we have to do that through acting and through writing and through smiling, but that's, that's all we want to do. AJ+ Producer: This video is part of a larger series on the Deaf community. Here are some of the incredible people featured in this series. Subscribe to catch all of these amazing stories on this season of Untold America. And let us know what community we should cover next. Senior Producer Maggie Beidelman Producers Jun Stinson Emily Gibson Camera / Video Editor Michael Nguyen Animator Marisa Cruz Executive Producer Sarah Nasr Interpreters Jake Alexander Monque Clark Folami Ford Justin Kirk Carolyn Ressler David Smith Special Thanks Kelly Kurdi Story Consultant Melissa Elmira Yingst

[@fowlae4414]

Stop Political Censorship pls are you proposing a series on white people? Doesn’t everyone already know about us?

[@احمدالصم-ع9ز]

Deaf ok

[@khalidflynn5548]

Sorry to be so off topic but does someone know of a tool to log back into an Instagram account? I was stupid lost my account password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me.

[@starcherry6814]

I'm guilty of being that person who assumes that all deaf people can read lips! Sorry guys! I'll do better I promise!!

[@itsannieharrison]

It's ok, you live and you learn!

[@ms.rstake_1211]

The 23 yr old lady in the beginning is doing better than a lot of us

[@sophiawilliams4088]

well, the only thing she can’t do is hear! she can do everything you can do, even listen to music.

[@fanichita]

My dad was progressively losing his hearing. One day he said that he had asked his colleague to repeat something and the guy had said never mind and got irritated. I remember how hurt my dad was by that. Never say never mind!

[@joanb3417]

Or "it's not that important" or "I'll tell you later". If it wasn't that important, why did everyone go to that impromptu 20 minute meeting without telling me? I feel sorry for what your dad experienced and what he will experience. My advice if welcome, is that your dad needs to develop the ability to be aware of his surroundings because he will be easily overlooked due to his hearing loss. It just happens, unfortunately. I hope things will work out!

[@robmariner7866]

My hearing gradually declined, also. People will tell you that, if at first you don't understand what is said, just ask them to repeat it. That does not work. They become irritated when asked to repeat and do so faster and almost shout it. If I again ask them to repeat it, they become enraged and actually scream it, shouting it out even faster. To this day I do not ask anyone to repeat anything. Then, of course, I get the "Well, why didn't you just ask me to repeat it?".

[@pimstroomer3353]

I love this series! So glad a bigger media outlet with such a large sphere of influence is giving attention to the community

[@Bootstataboots]

It is indeed a beautiful language. I apologize if I stare sometimes, it's because I'm mesmerized by its beauty when I see people communicating in ASL. I only know how to spell my name but I hope to learn more and speak to others in ASL.

[@totallynotaminecraftchanne1923]

Yeah, I’m taking ASL classes in school it’s so amazing! :D

[@ladyinara2789]

Video about Mental health and working. The struggles of employers who don't work with employees, and states that are "at will" employment states. Etc.

[@yodelissosa7791]

I can understand what these people have been going through since I was born half-deaf. I learned how to read lips as a child but can still catch up in some conversations. Most of the time people get upset or offended because I have to ask them to repeat what they said. One of the reasons why I keep to myself. Anyways, I’m glad that there’s people out there that I can relate to.

[@MA-zg2pz]

It's not your fault. I'm sorry this is happening. Often the hearing person feels embarrassed they aren't communicating well and need to repeat. They become self conscious and just overwhelmed. It's not acceptable for the hearing person to be dismissive and give up though. I hope you don't have that happen anymore.

[@vickyallen507]

Great job! I will share this with my students! THanks!

[@BB11249]

Always been intriguied by this culture. Can't wait to learn and listen from different perspectives.

[@Andi_Signs]

I am lovinggggggggg this channel. I'm a hearing CODA from South Africa

[@tudormiller8898]

Wowsers! That guy was fourth generation deaf ? Then you have others who are the only deaf person in thier whole family. I'm intrigued to know what it's like growing up in a deaf family. Watching from London UK. 🇬🇧 I'd love them to cover topics like friendships and relationships within the deaf community. Deaf parents raising deaf children. Having a deaf accent in a hearing world.

[@evie4127]

I have 46% of my hearing in one year and i really understand the struggle of people not repeating what they said and instead saying "nevermind", its frustrating not to hear them and them not understanding us

[@carlygirl306]

I am deaf with coclear implants and I can definitely agree with some of the things they have to say. I can especially relate to the girl with a CI. I can hear but not as well so I still feel isolated with the people around me. I hate when people say never mind just because I couldn't hear them. It hurts sometimes. I would rather if they repeat it again but louder or just wait to tell me when I can hear them better. Or text it to me. Whatever that works best. I want to learn more about the Deaf community and learn ASL because I think this would be a good thing for me

[@lindaalvarez8855]

This was an excellent video. I learned sign language in 1979 at my Community College. I was also interested in acting. So, the combination of learning sign & acting are a wonderful skill to have. I went out with a Deaf man who was born deaf. I felt so close to the Deaf community. I'm hearing impaired. But can hear well enough, but use my lip reading to get whatever I missed. My biggest problem is there are no Deaf people in my area to hang out with.

[@natethepnda8528]

I actually know all this and I'm surprised people believe in these myths, I have a sign language printout in my wallet and take it with me just in case I run into anyone who is deaf, it can be a pain but it's better than writing on a paper, communicating with another persons language can truly bring you closer to each other . The deaf are not as disabled as you think, I met a teacher who is deaf and works at a school for the disabled he teaches and signs for people with the same disabilities, he can lip read which is why he's really good. Anyway don't look down or try to separate yourself from them they are just human like us.

[@idontknow-ms8mc]

I watched 'Switched at Birth' on AbcFamily faithfully (until the very last episode) so...I at least know being deaf isn't a disability. Edit: i really loved that show. Kind of wish we had more shows with deaf actors/charactors. It's an interesting bit of diversity.

[@margies2880]

My best friend in college could speak and read lips, but still often looked to me for interpretation, saying that he usually only got about %30 of a conversation. When I was young, my eyesight was considered legally blind. There was plenty of assuming going around by well meaning people in regards to my potential, including doctors. Sometimes, the biggest handicap can be what people are led to believe about themselves, and it takes work to adjust that.

[@totallynotaminecraftchanne1923]

:)

[@robertcarey9121]

I grew up as a Deaf person and attended Deaf and mainstream school. I prefer to attend the state school for the Deaf reason of equal access improving educate. I attended Gallaudet University but didn't graduate and would have attend NTID but never happen due to decide to start family. I worked for Military Ammunition Plant and retired there. You see The Deaf people can do it and the only they can't do is hearing. So I have seen the hearing people do have accident on their job long story short example we Deaf worker aren't allow to drive the fork lift on military base due to their military regulation which is wrong and I told my boss about why do I have a drive license to drive!!?? DUH so I dare them I drove the fork lift even through not allowed and ever since I worked there I was the safest driver on the base. So on So on there are no excuse for the hearing people afraid of just make funny noise, getting loud, weird body language, and etc.. Believe me the hearing people will love the Deaf people if they open their mind and try to get connect and they will enjoy friendship. Need lot of pray for our Deaf community's access. I can go on blah blah blah but common sense is the issue need to be done!! Happy New Year everyone. Thanks for read my Blogs.

[@yodelissosa7791]

Robert Carey I agree with you. I’m 18 years old; I was born half-deaf, without a left ear and with a lazy eye & droopy eyelid. I’m very interested in law enforcement and stuff like that but every time I search for a potential career they need me to have 20/20 vision & sometimes WITHOUT any correction. My hearing also has to be better than good. I’m glad to see that I’m not the only person out there that feels this way.

[@s1050]

It’s absolutely amazing how deaf people pick up their local accents without hearing

[@DemonLord_Rimruru]

I once had a kid in my neighborhood that was deaf and he was actually a really cool guy. I didnt understand at the time, what being deaf meant, and i just remember me and my friend making fun of him for the way he spoke. It genuinely bothers me to this day and i wish i could just go back and tell him that im sorry. To any of my deaf friends. out there, you are loved and we as a society need to be more open minded on these kind of topics.

[@clairee4939]

“I once had a kid in my neighbourhood “ 🤔 Were you king of the neighbourhood?? 😝 😂 Well done you are learning deaf awareness anyway😊. I’m Deaf adult but yeah speech is still a sensitive issue for me tbh. My speech is not fluent and I prefer not waste time speaking and being judged when there are better ways to communicate. I know some Deaf people speak well and I could learn more but that is lots more time and effort to try fit with people who don’t accept me. it’s expected that we speak and read lips well but that’s incredibly difficult when you never heard the sounds and a lot look and feel the same so yeah I’m happy being Deaf and not waste time on hearing people’s nonsense! 😝

[@cassiecoleman9101]

Just seeing these videos for the first time but I have always thought sign language is a beautiful language I think it's fascinating to see deaf people communicate

[@clairee4939]

Thanks You will learn sign? 😊

[@martezanthony]

Serious question: I’m a hearing person, but interested in learning ASL. How can I go about learning how to sign?

[@starcherry6814]

There are hundreds of videos on YT, you could take an online class, or if you know anyone that speaks ASL ask them for help

[@shanhussain6114]

do a video on the link between mental health and gun violence: is it actually a real thing?

[@shanhussain6114]

@Wendy Smith yes, if we're gonna go with that excuse, best to have some real data with us.

[@conservativegrandpa1801]

@@shanhussain6114 I mean probably no sane person is gonna attack/k1II a bunch of people

[@lapaulg1]

I looked on the Untold America page but could only access seasons 7 & 8. I didn’t know if you’ve done the blind community yet. We have great stories as well.

[@leftylisa6257]

I am hard of hearing, but identify as deaf ( being that i sign and struggle to hear with hearing aids). I work as a college professor and have 2 masters degrees. I'm also a professional bass clarinet player... This video is saying that just because we can't hear or are hard if hearing, it doesn't mean we are different. I take out my hearing aids to play bass clarinet, I feel the music around me and play.

[@TheRealKirkHammett]

I'm not comparing myself to anyone in this video being deaf, however ..... I lost all hearing in my left ear back in 2009. I can say that since then I have experienced some of the thingsentioned here. I tell people I am deaf in one ear when I first meet them because if I don't, the same people will later treat me like I am ignoring them if I don't hear something, also I experience these same people saying things like "oh yeah I'm deaf too" like it's funny or like it's a joke or something. I also experience the same people get upset when I make them repeat things they say because it is difficult for me to hear depending on the room setup or other sounds around us. Sometimes if it's a large room and the soundwaves don't have anywhere to go, it is very difficult for me to hear them, also I have trouble locating people in stores. My wife can be in the grocery store with me and I can tell her name out to try and find her and she will tell back "I'm over here" and I won't be able to tell where "over here" is. Whenever you can use both ears, you have the ability of echo location like a dolphin almost, you have the ability to locate a person based on sound waves. And I lost all of that. But mainly I have a problem now with people joking around, I can see now "half way" how some of these comments can be hurtful little jabs even when someone thinks they are just making light of your situation. And for that I try and treat people differently.

[@rowlandmartin85]

Can you do a series on people with Cerebral palsy

[@edwardwilliams2438]

Love the channel...you ALL are very bright and demonstrative...Congratulations. Please tell me why ASL is not taught in schools...either as a mandatory class or as an elective status. At that young age ..we are much more fluid in our learning techniques. It seems such a shame not to offer this gift ....early on. I encountered a nice group of hearing impaired later in life and I was at a loss because I had very little exposure to NO..I mean NO disabilities...which is an educational shame. Love the channel....continue the great work.

[@BuddyL]

Good to know.👍🏿

[@nathanielyangmd528]

To say that deafness is not a disability is to ignore those who could hear before, developed spoken language, and then became deaf. That includes all those who develop age-related hearing loss and are now struggling with the social and emotional impact of that loss.

[@everafter2611]

We all speak and gesture

[@christadauria4362]

At my honestly, the Catholic nuns at De Paul Institute- School for the Deaf as the strict oral Roman Catholic school for the deaf in Mc Keepsort, Pennsylvania in the area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania made American Sign Language as “ monkey language “ as a very rude and very seriously offensive insults to our intelligent, well-educated and college- educated deaf citizens speaking in American Sign Language as I have had been badly experienced before I was transferred to WPSD (Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Edgewood, Pennsylvania in the area of Pennsylvania at my age of 12 on September 1964. And then I was much faster to learn in sign language and finger spellings. When I mastered in ASL, PSE (Pidgin Signed English), Signed English Language, home-made gestures, and Italian Gestural Language , I grew up in my life in nature in maturity so there. Now I am strongly Bi-Lingual ( ASL and English) as a strongly avid reader with my completed college education with B.A. in double-majors of Biology and Chemistry from Gallaudet University in Class of 1981 in my real life. Rude and seriously offensive remarks of American Sign Language, and other sign languages across our country are NOT Acceptable NOR NICE. Remainder that American Sign Language is a real language following results of research studies of American Sign Language at Gallaudet University during 1960’s and 1970’s in a fact in reality. Now American Sign Language is a very popular foreign language on list in USA.

[@FrancisF-x6l]

I have been hard of hearing all my life. Not easy cuz don't know sign language and hard to understand people. Many times hard to understand BEHIND me cuz I don't know if they are talking to me or someone else. Hard to recognize voice. I depend on lip reading. I can lip read with deaf but many do not lip-read . They use sign language.

[@jackiedavies6956]

i hate the loss of my hearing even my husband has no understanding and has no real feeling for that part of my life. i think he just thinks i'm stupid and ignorant sometimes. almost wish he would loose his hearing too. and suffer being treated like a fool and just included in passing as he would be the one on the outside.

[@CesarAHaro]

I started to pretty much yell at a deaf person because I was trying to help. How embarrassing.

[@farika_deaf2003]

hehe, please dont scream anymore, because it can sometimes hurt our ears, it feels like ehen you scream in tunnel and the voice are going away slowly voice thats the saem happened to our ears and i felt it . :) im glad you did understood. :)

[@totallynotaminecraftchanne1923]

:)

[@akwaabab8504]

thank you.

[@rockandrolldude22]

As a person who knows sign language I just embarrassed when I can't understand what's being said.

[@yabbadabbindude]

I was super excited when I took my first asl class at the local library but was disheartened at the thought that it wasn't universal and had regional dialects just like any other language

[@imasunshine800]

I mean it’s just like English! People have different words for the same thing! Like lightning bug and firefly or shopping cart and buggy. Most of it is the same (just like English) but some words are different. There are a bunch of different ways to sign pizza which was fun to learn! It is American Sign Language though so it’s different from other countries.

[@marcmaza2821]

I’m deaf I wear cochlear implant! I talk normal! I have a problem what would you do if someone tells you oh change your battery when it goes dead! I have a stupid Forman was completely rude to me over the phone! Tells me to change my battery he doesn’t like it when I stop in the middle of my work! Like come seriously! Who the hells saids something like that! I felt so hurt! Any tips!!!

[@peterparker2840]

0:27 or maybe their trying to mouth it out to you, but it looks like they’re screaming. You’re deaf, you can’t tell

[@clairee4939]

I'm Deaf and can tell if people are shouting. Please don't tell us what's it like deaf.

[@totallynotaminecraftchanne1923]

@@clairee4939 sorry, hearing people doin’t know what it’s like to be deaf. A few mistakes here and there are as inevitable as Thanos. (Oh, and if you’re wondering, I am hearing but am trying to understand) :)

[@dogsareawomansbestfriend]

What goes through a child's mind when they are unable to hear you?

[@dogsareawomansbestfriend]

@@clairee4939 The Chihuahua puppy I adopted is deaf. As I am trying to use signs I mess up. I was just wondering if he will start disliking me. It's taking me more time to learn than I thought it would be. I AM PROUD OF ALL DEAF PEOPLE that put up with us that use too many words!

[@jordanlaquey5325]

kind of annoying when communities make assumptions people outside of the community making assumptions about that community.

[@Vibranze]

Another myth is that deaf people can’t write well.

[@chronicallyplanty4259]

I actually disagree...for me, deafness is definitely a disability among others I have. It makes functioning and participating in the world more difficult and I need more accommodations. I was born totally deaf in my left ear, and as I've gotten older due to a surgical complication, my right ear has been losing hearing more and more. So now I have a BAHA on my left and a behind the ear one on my right. And dang, the "nevermind" comment when you ask someone to repeat themselves is so agitating!! I totally respect folks who don't feel like it's a disability though!

[@fowlae4414]

I'm sorry, but I must disagree with deafness not being a disability. Disabilities are by definition "a physical or mental condition that limits a person's movements, senses, or activities." Deafness limits hearing: a sense.

[@bassekaman8315]

@Olivier Goulet "Deafness is not a disability - it's a community and culture with its own language....." you're wrong

[@sweetest-of-memes]

As a hearing person I will admit I didn’t understand that at first. Maybe think of it this way: someone is blind in one eye, while they may technically have a part of their body that isn’t functioning, they are still able to live a life identical to anyone else’s except for some nuances. So would you instinctively call that person disabled? Doubtful, and if you would, that would be missing the point and is a touch insensitive. Deaf people live normal, capable lives and don’t benefit from being treated as if they don’t. I hope this helped you understand a different perspective.

[@fowlae4414]

Alexandra Cornell disabilities don’t have to be a bad thing. Deaf people, from my perspective, seem to be fitting perfectly well into society and their “disability” isn’t limiting them. But they have a disability, by definition. Deafness limits hearing, which as I said, and most science agrees with me that hearing is a sense.

[@fowlae4414]

Ozzy Bacchus I used a dictionary definition. Last time I checked, dictionaries defined the English language and not one individual person.

[@bassekaman8315]

@@fowlae4414 deafness is a condition not a language. deaf people in france dont speak asl

[@et778]

Can deaf people drive cars? And can they hear their own voices or identify there own voices ??? ( u know what i mean) "is my voice is loud or a mickey mouse voice, etc..."

[@CityChristina]

Of course we can drive. Insurance companies say that deaf people are the safest drivers, since we're naturally observant and aren't distracted by music.

[@totallynotaminecraftchanne1923]

@@CityChristina what about the other question?

[@childofcascadia]

@et778 Depends on the type of deafness if a deaf person could hear their own voices with their actual sense of hearing. All deaf people can feel vibrations from sound, so even if they had no hearing whatsoever theyd feel the vibrations in their throat and mouth if they vocalize. So yes, they know when they are vocalizing. You can feel the same vibrations when you talk or hum. My friend who is completely deaf enjoys some music. He "listens" to it by feeling the vibrations. He signs and can lip read but doesnt speak much, and he has a deaf accent when he does speak vocally.

[@nohemiperez7540]

BUT Deafness IS Disability.

[@Salvador2237]

How in the world can one say that the lack of an entire sense isn’t a disability? It’s literally being unable to do something lol. I get that it shouldn’t define a person but cmon man.

[@docecoco]

Sye them and Use the DA and everyone was involved in this injustice matter.

[@Scrubwave]

Where's the one on the cancer patient culture?

[@bassekaman8315]

if deafness isnt a disability then nothing is

[@lapaulg1]

Ozzy Bacchus Blindness isn’t either!

[@moonflick]

Strictly speaking, yes, Deaf persons are lacking an ability. But the point is that they successfully work around it, and are strong in community and strong in achievement nonetheless. I've chosen not to respond to your comment in a dismissive quip; I hope you can avoid your own dismissive quips going forward.

[@totallynotaminecraftchanne1923]

@@moonflick yes :)

[@Andy-rn2xl]

It's 100% a disability.