Why does the Deaf community hate cochlear implants?

The main reason the Deaf community is opposed to the implantation of cochlear implants in children is they feel it is a threat to Deaf culture.

What challenges exist within the Deaf community?

With society’s lack of fluency in ASL and lack of understanding of the Deaf community comes challenges in other aspects of daily life for Deaf individuals: employment, higher education, healthcare, mental health services, emergency preparedness, technology, and government benefits.

How does the Deaf community feel about cochlear implants?

The Deaf community felt ignored by the medical and scientific supporters of cochlear implants; many believed deaf children should have the opportunity to make the choice for themselves once they were old enough; still others felt the implant should be outlawed entirely.

Why do deaf people not like the term hearing impaired?

For many people, the words “deaf” and “hard of hearing” are not negative. Instead, the term “hearing-impaired” is viewed as negative. The term focuses on what people can’t do. It establishes the standard as “hearing” and anything different as “impaired,” or substandard, hindered, or damaged.

Why do deaf people not get implants?

Deaf people assert that deaf kids don’t need implants. Some see cochlear implants as a form of oppression from the hearing world and actively protest the technology. Some deaf people who get implants have even been shunned by the deaf community. Others in the community are more open to the technology.

Why are deaf people denied cultural access?

Deaf people are denied cultural access in theaters and at concerts. Living in an audist society that assumes everyone can hear, the deaf community must fight just to participate in everyday life. The ADA establishes the rights of deaf Americans to protect them from discrimination, yet it is a constant battle to have these rights recognized.

What is the relationship between the hearing community and deaf community?

The relationship between the hearing community and the Deaf community has often been strained due to the continued lack of understanding of the Deaf community and its values, and the subsequent paternalistic perspective of hearing people in knowing what is “best” for the Deaf community and forming policies for Deaf individuals without their input.

What is it like to be deaf?

The Deaf community is a vibrant and incredibly warm community that unfortunately has been incredibly marginalized by mainstream hearing society. Deaf people bear the scars of daily discrimination and oppression. Deaf people have faced generations of systemic discrimination, including forced sterlizations in the twentieth century.

Why is equal access to education important to the Deaf community?

Without equal access, quality of life suffers. Unemployment rates within the deaf community are nearly double the average rate in America, even for those who pursue higher education or specialty training. Without the ability to effectively communicate, deaf people are more likely to experience a medical misdiagnosis or wrongful arrest.