Deaf is
defined as “partially or wholly lacking or deprived of the sense of hearing” (Dictionary.com,
n.d.). Thus, Deaf is a good representative word for all people who have varying
levels of hearing without resorting to others’ perspectives that hard of
hearing is a better group. It perpetuates a hierarchical sense that it is better to be hard
of hearing than to be Deaf.
We should
reject the phrase of “deaf and hard of hearing” and use only “Deaf.” In
discussing the difference between deaf and hard of hearing, Berke (2017) said
it depends on whom you ask. Hard of hearing is a medical term given to people
who have a mild hearing loss. In our using “Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH)” we
are using a term that is being perpetuated by a medical point of view whereas,
historically, Deaf had always been used to represent a spectrum of people with
varying hearing status.
It is not
a radical notion if we will look at other groups with labels. We call Black
people “Black” without resorting to levels of their blackness. We say “autism
spectrum disorder” without labeling where on the spectrum they are. Deaf and
Hard of Hearing allows us to place one above others by levels of their hearing
status. We are implying that it is better to be hard of hearing than to be
deaf.
References
Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Deaf.
Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/browse/deaf
Berke, J. (2017). What is the
difference between deaf and hard of hearing? Verywell.com. Retrieved from https://www.verywell.com/deaf-or-hard-of-hearing-whats-the-difference-1048593
No comments:
Post a Comment