I wondered someone was going to comment on the plethora of post about the CI and subsequent variations on a theme, and then Dianrez’s hit me with her blog post, Enough With Blog About CI Surgery.

I mentioned to a mate of mine, this past weekend, how bored I am with Deaf and deaf blogs. It seems us Deafies and deafies cannot write about anything but our deafness. I have to say, I’m basing this judgement on the blogs that appear on DeafRead and the deaf village aggregators. Both which must bear some blame for this, as their inclusion criteria exclude anything that is not OBVIOUSLY Deaf or deaf related. Their editorial criteria does not encourage the expression of diverse viewpoints. A has been stated many time sin the past, their editorial policies actively curtail the breadth of topics open to discussion, and crimping the bloggers writing style.

Having said that, it still begs the question though, are we capable of any other dialogue with each other, and the hearing world, other than the endless, and monotonous, drone that has characterised Deaf and deaf dialogue?

I don’t have a problem with blogs about hearing technology per se, and that there is room for all voices, and diversity is good. The information necessary. But there is no real thinking, let alone diversity, happening in the Deaf and deaf blogosphere. It seems that everyone is defensive [understandably]: justifying their deafness, their identity and their, whatever. That is all very well, but I can’t help shaking the feeling that deaf bloggers, in particular, are unwilling to delve into any serious analysis of their perspectives, their choices, and expectations of themselves and their relationship with the hearing world. Not in the way that many Deaf bloggers do.

deaf blogging is a cacophony of a 1000 dissenting voices all arguing for the freedom to express their individuality by thinking a like. Then again, I could be wrong. deaf blogs are like 1000 different brands of coffee all made by the same producer. [Source: My Brains]

Reading deaf blogs is like reading about people whose self esteem is so lacking, that the only way they are fulfilled as human beings is by talking and hearing. They greet any tool that plugs them into the holy grail that is the hearing world, with glorious shouts of "Hosanna!"

I quite agree that the ability to speak and use whatever residual hearing they have, makes a Deaf person’s life easier, not infinitely easier, but easier all the same. But the crux of all these stories, is how WE are making most of the effort to integrate, and participate in hearing culture, and losing ourselves in the process.

Then there is the recurring theme of abuse, from Deaf people, for their choices in communication and technology. I quite agree that bad behaviour is bad behaviour, and should not be tolerated. But, the impression I get is that is the assumption that such criticism and bad behaviour is an integral part of Deaf culture. Blanket statements that do not even attempt to understand why Deaf people are reacting in that way, nor the processes that led up to such behaviour. I’m not advocating tolerating bad behaviour at all, I’ve had my share, but unlike many deafies, I’ve actually done my homework, in order to UNDERSTAND the forces at play. The forces that shape us as people.

It’s not all bad, but it gets boring. If I read 100 Deaf blogs, I will get a sense of 100 distinct personalities. If I read 100 deaf blogs, I come away thinking, who are the people behind them? They look different, but they all think the same.

Then there is the same repetitive rubbish about integrating and mainstreaming as pertaining to being normal. There is a woeful lack of critical analysis and thinking about the oppression handed down by the hearing world. The focus on speech, hearing and integration, provides a convenient distraction from investigating such issues. Not much attempt is made to understand culture and the role it plays in determining our perspectives, how we approach our deafness and how we fit into the wider world. The assumption is to hear is normal, and everything follows on from that. It’s a variation on the God Made Adam and Eve, Not Adam and Steve argument.

As for the CI, that’s for another post, as I have been fortunate to delve into some personal myth busting, but for now, let’s meditate on Dianrez’s words:

My wish for the upcoming CI generation is to know that although they may have more options than the generations before them, they are still welcomed along with their families to the Deaf Community to make their own unique contributions, and that ASL is the way to ensure this resource is available to them. I hope they are not being fed incorrect information such as that Deaf people are limited, or living in a lonely world, or are deprived of opportunities. Nor that they are successful because of the CI. Nor that they have to meet the expectations of the Hearing community even if it does not mesh with their own capabilities. And my wish is for all d/Deaf people to unite in telling the hearing community to see us as capable individuals

Reading:

If I’m Part of a Majority, Then What is Our Identity?

Is There A Hard OF Hearing Culture