Deafness: Identity and Experience

Deafness is a spectrum, not a single definition.
The speaker identifies as late-deafened, deaf in one ear and hearing in the other.
Some people consider the speaker deaf, while others consider them hearing.
The speaker was born deaf and has a hereditary condition, as their father is deaf in one ear.
The speaker is the youngest of five siblings; the three youngest are deaf-blind.

The speaker identifies as both deaf and disabled, also being a little person.
Deafness is a significant part of the speaker's identity, but not the only one.
The speaker identifies as a person of color (biracial, half black and half white) and gay.
The speaker has Usher syndrome, which causes hearing and vision loss.

The speaker grew up oral and is often considered hard of hearing.
The speaker identifies as deaf, not hearing impaired.
The speaker views deafness positively due to the culture, language, and history associated with it.
The speaker is involved with the DeafBlind community, tactile ASL, and Pro Tacto.
The speaker is most comfortable speaking English.
People with additional disabilities need to consider access and their needs.
The speaker used note takers in education because they didn't know sign language until age 14.
The speaker used Cued Speech and was mainstreamed throughout high school.
The speaker attended both a public school in the morning and a deaf school in the afternoon.
The instructors at the deaf school used ASL, which the speaker found more inclusive.
The speaker was in both Deaf and hearing classes.

The speaker wore a bilateral hearing aid across their chest, which was unpleasant.
The speaker received a cochlear implant at age 15 and underwent intensive speech therapy.
In high school, the speaker would sit to the far right to favor hearing on their left side.
Captioning and interpreting together are considered the most effective for the speaker.
The speaker prefers a long-term designated interpreter who knows them and their work well.
As a black person, the speaker wants their interpreter's voice to match them.

The speaker's culture should not be overlooked.
Deaf people are not all the same; they have diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Listeners should approach deaf individuals with an open mind and open heart.

For large group discussions with dynamic conversation, the speaker uses interpreters.