Here are some personal stories of people who are deaf and what they think of the technologies that have allowed people in the deaf community to hear (Cochlear Implants).
Bobbie Jo Duffy, 31, Teacher's Aide, Lexington School for the Deaf
"I value our own culture, our own language. It used to be that many people didn't realize that deaf people have a language. They felt sorry for deaf people. There's really no pity needed. Deaf people can do anything, except hear. That's all ... [E]verything that I am, how I express myself, my education, everything, it's with the deaf community ... Sometimes I would look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas, and look forward to seeing my family, you know. But then, the reality of the communication issue always comes up. They don't know how to sign. Not fluently ... Do I look at a person who got an implant as a member of deaf culture? Really, no ... Most of the time, the people that I know with implants take them off. I'm with them, you now, 75 percent, but not 100 percent. They make me feel funny when I communicate with them. I can't seem to express myself right. And really communicate. I don't know if the person really understands me or not, you know? ... If a person grows up deaf and decides to get an implant, it turns me off. That means that the person doesn't understand deaf culture. I pity them. I wish they'd get a life. You'll be sorry."
Darby J. Leigh, 27, Graduate Student
"Myself, personally, I'm often asked, you know, if I could take a pill, that would somehow overnight make me into a hearing person, would I take it? And my answer to that question has always been, no, I wouldn't. Because, again, like I said before, I value ... I very much value the experience of being me, and my deafness has become, you know, an integral part of my own identity, which, I would have no desire to remove. I think ... I mean, the idea is terrifying. And I think it's no different than asking a hearing person if they'd like to take a pill to make themselves deaf overnight. You wouldn't do that. Nobody would want to wake up as a completely different person. I wouldn't want to wake up with a different skin color. I wouldn't want to wake up with a different gender. I'm used to who I am ... The cochlear implant issue is a very sticky one in the deaf community right now. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it. I am very uncomfortable with implanting infants ... I think we need a lot more information, and we need a lot more research about long-term effects, about sense of self, about emotional growth and maturity of children who have implants. If you're an adult, over the age of 18, then, you know, I think so. I say go ahead. Whatever you want ... Where do I put deaf people with cochlear implants, as far as deaf culture or hearing culture? I give every deaf person the right and opportunity to identify themselves ... I do believe that every deaf person with a cochlear implant, with a hearing aid, or with nothing at all, is a member of the deaf community. The deaf community is all-inclusive. It is everyone who has a hearing loss and experiences the world in that specific way."
Alison, 13, Student
"The cochlear implant helps me talk much better. And now they can understand me. And I don't have to, you know, have someone to help me in sign language. I just use my voice ... I consider myself deaf. I still have a sign language part of me, part of my life, but I'm still deaf, no matter what ... I've got a lot of deaf friends, and, well, some of them thought it was great because I'd be part of the hearing world, and the deaf culture. But some of them, they didn't really accept the way the cochlear implant showed me because they thought of all the things that would happen to me, like I won't be able to swim after the surgery or something would happen to my head, but which was not true ... But some of them, they're very against me. So that just ... we try to help them think about it and tell them it's OK. You know, you don't have to get it. It's just the way I am."
Bobbie Jo Duffy, 31, Teacher's Aide, Lexington School for the Deaf
"I value our own culture, our own language. It used to be that many people didn't realize that deaf people have a language. They felt sorry for deaf people. There's really no pity needed. Deaf people can do anything, except hear. That's all ... [E]verything that I am, how I express myself, my education, everything, it's with the deaf community ... Sometimes I would look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas, and look forward to seeing my family, you know. But then, the reality of the communication issue always comes up. They don't know how to sign. Not fluently ... Do I look at a person who got an implant as a member of deaf culture? Really, no ... Most of the time, the people that I know with implants take them off. I'm with them, you now, 75 percent, but not 100 percent. They make me feel funny when I communicate with them. I can't seem to express myself right. And really communicate. I don't know if the person really understands me or not, you know? ... If a person grows up deaf and decides to get an implant, it turns me off. That means that the person doesn't understand deaf culture. I pity them. I wish they'd get a life. You'll be sorry."
Darby J. Leigh, 27, Graduate Student
"Myself, personally, I'm often asked, you know, if I could take a pill, that would somehow overnight make me into a hearing person, would I take it? And my answer to that question has always been, no, I wouldn't. Because, again, like I said before, I value ... I very much value the experience of being me, and my deafness has become, you know, an integral part of my own identity, which, I would have no desire to remove. I think ... I mean, the idea is terrifying. And I think it's no different than asking a hearing person if they'd like to take a pill to make themselves deaf overnight. You wouldn't do that. Nobody would want to wake up as a completely different person. I wouldn't want to wake up with a different skin color. I wouldn't want to wake up with a different gender. I'm used to who I am ... The cochlear implant issue is a very sticky one in the deaf community right now. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it. I am very uncomfortable with implanting infants ... I think we need a lot more information, and we need a lot more research about long-term effects, about sense of self, about emotional growth and maturity of children who have implants. If you're an adult, over the age of 18, then, you know, I think so. I say go ahead. Whatever you want ... Where do I put deaf people with cochlear implants, as far as deaf culture or hearing culture? I give every deaf person the right and opportunity to identify themselves ... I do believe that every deaf person with a cochlear implant, with a hearing aid, or with nothing at all, is a member of the deaf community. The deaf community is all-inclusive. It is everyone who has a hearing loss and experiences the world in that specific way."
Alison, 13, Student
"The cochlear implant helps me talk much better. And now they can understand me. And I don't have to, you know, have someone to help me in sign language. I just use my voice ... I consider myself deaf. I still have a sign language part of me, part of my life, but I'm still deaf, no matter what ... I've got a lot of deaf friends, and, well, some of them thought it was great because I'd be part of the hearing world, and the deaf culture. But some of them, they didn't really accept the way the cochlear implant showed me because they thought of all the things that would happen to me, like I won't be able to swim after the surgery or something would happen to my head, but which was not true ... But some of them, they're very against me. So that just ... we try to help them think about it and tell them it's OK. You know, you don't have to get it. It's just the way I am."
Interview:1. How has having a deaf sibling impacted your family?
Having a deaf sibling has had very little effect on our family. An example is when going to theaters, we try to find CC screenings, to include Anna, my deaf sister.
2. Did your family expect for everyone to learn ASL and use it constantly?
The only people expected to learn ASL were my parents, my brother, & I. The rest of out family were left with a choice, only a few learned. My Grandmother & two cousins are the only others to pick it up.
3. Did your sibling ever face discrimination that you saw?
The only example of discrimination that I have seen was alienation from hearing kids. They avoided my sister because they could not communicate, limiting a range of people for interaction.
4. If so, how did you react in these situations?
The only reaction I had, to the lack of friends for my sister, was telling her to cherish those who are willing to take the time to learn ASL. They were the ones who looked past what others avoided and really wanted to know her.
5. If you could tell anyone one fact about deaf culture/society what would you tell them?
A fact about the deaf culture that I would like to share would be, the fact they rely heavily on emotion and body language. Making them more socially aware and caring towards another. They have a deeper connection through their signs than hearing people share through spoken words.
6. What do you think the biggest misconception of deaf people is?
There really isn't a misconception I have heard of from anyone. Most of the time, when I tell people they are more interested and ask about deaf culture.
7. Was your sibling born deaf or did they become deaf later in life?
My family isn't too sure if my sister was born deaf or became deaf a short time after her birth. A few months after my sister was born, she had an abnormal high fever and acid reflux. A theory from a doctor was that the high fever burned the hair in the cochlea, by damaging the hair follicles. We didn't find out that she was deaf till she was four.
8. Was it a big shock to your family learning about your sibling was deaf? What was your reaction to the news?
Upon finding out that my sister was deaf, my parents were surprised and a little heart-felled, knowing that Anna would never hear their voices. As for me, I was five, at that time I wasn't able to grasp the concept and grew up with it. It never seemed out of place for me, it felt normal, and never crossed my mind it was bad.
Having a deaf sibling has had very little effect on our family. An example is when going to theaters, we try to find CC screenings, to include Anna, my deaf sister.
2. Did your family expect for everyone to learn ASL and use it constantly?
The only people expected to learn ASL were my parents, my brother, & I. The rest of out family were left with a choice, only a few learned. My Grandmother & two cousins are the only others to pick it up.
3. Did your sibling ever face discrimination that you saw?
The only example of discrimination that I have seen was alienation from hearing kids. They avoided my sister because they could not communicate, limiting a range of people for interaction.
4. If so, how did you react in these situations?
The only reaction I had, to the lack of friends for my sister, was telling her to cherish those who are willing to take the time to learn ASL. They were the ones who looked past what others avoided and really wanted to know her.
5. If you could tell anyone one fact about deaf culture/society what would you tell them?
A fact about the deaf culture that I would like to share would be, the fact they rely heavily on emotion and body language. Making them more socially aware and caring towards another. They have a deeper connection through their signs than hearing people share through spoken words.
6. What do you think the biggest misconception of deaf people is?
There really isn't a misconception I have heard of from anyone. Most of the time, when I tell people they are more interested and ask about deaf culture.
7. Was your sibling born deaf or did they become deaf later in life?
My family isn't too sure if my sister was born deaf or became deaf a short time after her birth. A few months after my sister was born, she had an abnormal high fever and acid reflux. A theory from a doctor was that the high fever burned the hair in the cochlea, by damaging the hair follicles. We didn't find out that she was deaf till she was four.
8. Was it a big shock to your family learning about your sibling was deaf? What was your reaction to the news?
Upon finding out that my sister was deaf, my parents were surprised and a little heart-felled, knowing that Anna would never hear their voices. As for me, I was five, at that time I wasn't able to grasp the concept and grew up with it. It never seemed out of place for me, it felt normal, and never crossed my mind it was bad.