Misconceptions and Discrimination Against the Deaf Community - Essay Sample

Introduction

The contemporary American community has a diverse misconception about the deaf community. Numerous fallacies have been promoted to discriminate and marginalize the deaf community ranging from branding them emotionally unstable, cognitively unintelligent and socially incapable. Moreover, they have severally been misunderstood as incompetent and over-dependent on aid from auditory capable individuals. However, such notions are adamantly spread by individuals with no experience or comprehension of the deaf community. During my time at a deaf community event on 11th April at Starbucks in Linden NJ, I discovered exceptionally interesting things from interacting with the deaf community which drastically changed my preconceived notion about the auditory impaired community. Despite the frequent marginalization of the deaf community from the majority hearing culture, interaction and engagement with the deaf community significantly promotes a sense of unity and makes an individual feel appreciated. Regardless of not entirely understanding the sign language, during my engagement with the deaf community at Starbucks, I felt appreciated, valued, loved and cared for although I did not share the same characteristics. I definitely felt the connection and deep understanding that the deaf community has with their environment. Despite being considered disabled, the deaf has great comprehension of the contemporary socio-economic and civil events making them valuable members of the society just like the dominant auditory enabled individuals.

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Additionally, during my engagement with the existing ASL environment, I was fascinated with the utilization of the sign language that I largely ignored the fundamental parts of the sessions. The utilization of sign language within the ASL environment portrayed a deep connection and a unique way of expressing diverse emotions and feelings. Despite not understanding any of the sign languages, all my attention and effort was directed into picking even one familiar gesture. I adamantly neglected the auditory source of information provided to the non-deaf visitors like the police officers, who were present at the event to provide an assurance to the security and wellbeing of the deaf community and answer any burning questions concerning their previous relationship with the deaf community, and specifically focused on the sign language interpreter's ASL as I wanted to know and relate with every bit of the signs and gestures she utilized. The encounter was not only fun but also educative, enlightening and instructive and it challenged me as an individual to eliminate the preconceived judgmental ad condescending attitude without really understanding the nature of elements. Getting involved with the deaf community avails diverse opportunity to understand the discrimination and pressure that the majority hearing society has accorded to the deaf community.

Finally, rather than spreading malicious and unsubstantiated fallacies about the deaf community, people should often engage and interact with the deaf to understand and experience their unique world. Despite adamantly being misunderstood, the deaf community provides a peaceful and serene environment which promote a sense of belonging, pride, and security that the dominant auditory society lacks. It is essential that hearing people show support, love, compassion and respect to the deaf community as they possess unique abilities like all the hearing people and should not be discriminated because of their auditory impairment. Therefore, as an individuals who has had one-on-one engagement with the deaf community, I would greatly recommend spending time with the deaf to facilitate a deeper understanding of their strengths, potential, aptitude and even contemporary challenges before taking extreme decision of deteriorating their human dignity.