If you went deaf, would you want to hear again?

[youngmafbog]

http://news.sky.com/story/1019853/eastenders-rita-simons-accused-over-deaf-op

//Simons told Hello! magazine the hostility "comes mainly from people who firmly believe that deafness should be embraced rather than treated as a physical deficiency that should be corrected".//

Just who are these people to victimize someone who does not have their perverted beliefs?

Being deaf is not nice at all, it presents all sorts of difficulties. Signing and all the other gumpf (usually pushed by hearing people) does not get you on in the real world, if there is an option to help (cochlear implants are not effective for all) should it not be taken ?

[sp1814]

ladybirder

I was told to 'be natural' (which didn't exactly help), but another tip which I was given was not to be afraid to use common hand gestures. For instance, if you were talking about someone who you thought was nuts, tap the side of your head as your saying it. Or if you had a nice meal, as you're talking about it, rub your stomach. These simple gestures make it easier for deaf people to understand you. It works the same as when you're in a foreign country and you haven't mastered the language - you can make yourself understood much better if you use gestures as well as words.

But speaking at your normal speed is the biggest one.

[ladybirder]

Thank you sp all very useful. Also, I thought about this earlier and decided one way is to make sure you are facing the person and to enunciate, not shouting but speaking clearly.
Must try and remember it all now the next time I meet someone with a hearing problem.