Who are Deaf people?
Should we be seen as a Deaf person because of our deafness?
Should we be seen as a Deaf person because we use different language to communicate daily?
This is the question many hearing people as well as Deaf people struggling to answer. Both hearing and Deaf people could not understand how Deaf people should live in Malaysia?
I asked many Deaf people throughout Malaysia whether they see themselves as having a hearing disability. Most of them answered yes. Why did they answer yes to such question? Is it because they can’t hear sound? I have a question for myself. How do they know that they do not have hearing ability when they actually never experience it for themselves?
I met many hearing people. I told them that I am Deaf. They responded me, “Oh I am sorry for your hearing loss.”. Initially I thought it was normal response I should have received and I should be identified as a person with hearing loss.
But wait. Did I actually lose my hearing ability? I did not come to this world with hearing ability, how could I experience the loss? Therefore, we do not need anyone to feel sorry or pity for us because we are not with hearing loss. We actually acquired deafness which led us towards a new life culture, which would be different from those people with normal hearing ability. The acquisition of deafness is good news, and it makes us differently from people here.
