The deaf have come a long way with being able to communicate with others without hearing. They have their own language that allows them to communicate with other deaf as well as hearing people who choose to learn their language. There is a debate that has been in the mix for a while and that is if deaf-hearing relationships can work. A deaf-hearing relationship can refer to many different combinations of deaf and hearing. For example a deaf person with someone is fluent signing or moderate or nonsigning, or an oral deaf person with a nonsigning hearing person, as well as many other combinations of partner backgrounds. They have different cultures and a different language, as you can imagine it isn’t always an easy thing for relationships to
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If they aren’t looking at you, they can’t understand you. It also then becomes an issue when trying to determine which community is best suited for your particular relationship. I as a hearing person would want to socialize mostly with the hearing community but they would probably feel most comfortable in a deaf community where everyone is fluent signing, whether deaf or not, and nothing has to be interpreted. In a hearing-centered relationship the deaf partner becomes dependent on the hearing partner for communication. I feel like this could become frustrating and stressful for both partners. It is hard to feel like you’re part of a conversation when you can communicate for yourself. I also feel like it could be frustrating and sad for the deaf person trying to socialize with their partner’s friends. I know that personally I wouldn’t want to spend a bunch of time with people who I couldn’t talk to and who can’t talk to me. As a hearing person I feel like I would find it frustrating to interpret everyone that was said. As the hearing person I would also feel bad for my partner because I can only imagine how left out they would feel even with me interpret everything. I would socialize with their deaf friend but even if I signed fluently I would feel a little left out. Those who are deaf feel similarly and they usually have a strong bonds with their groups of friends because they are the only other ones who know what it truly like to be
If they aren’t looking at you, they can’t understand you. It also then becomes an issue when trying to determine which community is best suited for your particular relationship. I as a hearing person would want to socialize mostly with the hearing community but they would probably feel most comfortable in a deaf community where everyone is fluent signing, whether deaf or not, and nothing has to be interpreted. In a hearing-centered relationship the deaf partner becomes dependent on the hearing partner for communication. I feel like this could become frustrating and stressful for both partners. It is hard to feel like you’re part of a conversation when you can communicate for yourself. I also feel like it could be frustrating and sad for the deaf person trying to socialize with their partner’s friends. I know that personally I wouldn’t want to spend a bunch of time with people who I couldn’t talk to and who can’t talk to me. As a hearing person I feel like I would find it frustrating to interpret everyone that was said. As the hearing person I would also feel bad for my partner because I can only imagine how left out they would feel even with me interpret everything. I would socialize with their deaf friend but even if I signed fluently I would feel a little left out. Those who are deaf feel similarly and they usually have a strong bonds with their groups of friends because they are the only other ones who know what it truly like to be