To us, you’re hearing people
If you’re not deaf, you’re generally defined, among deaf people, as a “hearing person”. And you’re not all that popular, for a number of reasons. For a start, it was hearing people who decided to ban sign language from education in the late 19th century. Then there are the ongoing barriers deaf people face in almost every area of life, from work to education, to accessing healthcare. And how do you think hearing people are doing when it comes to, say, running the world? You’re not all bad – some of you are our beloved friends, family members, colleagues and neighbours, but if you’re really honest with yourself you’ll realise hearing folk have a lot to answer for.
There’s more than one type of deaf person
Some deaf people communicate purely in British Sign Language (BSL), others sign using English word order (Sign Supported English), some speak, some use hearing aids or cochlear implants, some lip-read, and many use a whole mixture of the above – a kind of communication cocktail, depending on who they’re talking to. So, if you’re going to a deaf party, be prepared to be flexible. If all else fails, you can always use a notepad to get your drinks order in.
