I generally work out without wearing my hearing aids, which makes gyms a relatively quiet place for me.
A few days ago, a guy came in who, apparently, took my lack of ear buds to mean that I would enjoy having a conversation with him.
I was "running" on the elliptical, and I didn't notice his attempts to talk to me until he started to wave his arms. I have no idea how long he'd been trying to get my attention prior to that. I gathered by his level of frustration, he had made several attempts. I signed to him that I was deaf, and went on about my "running."
For most folks in a gym, that's the show stopper, and they'll go on about their business and leave me be.
But that wasn't good enough for him. He continued to wave at me until I looked over at him, and then he wanted to have a conversation with me.
Sidebar: I'm generally a friendly person, but like, I don't know, everybody, I guess, when I'm in the gym, I just want to do my thing and leave. It's not exactly a happy place for me. More like necessary evil.
So this guy, who doesn't know sign language, wanted to tell me about his boy who is deaf, or hearing impaired, who wears hearing aids, or maybe has a cochlear implant. If I'm fuzzy on the details, I apologize, lip reading is sketchy at best, and I only have that and the guy's made up signs to go by. I signed to him and asked if his boy knew sign language.
Sidebar: This was a loaded question. I knew it was a loaded question when I asked it. There are all sorts of opinions out there about if and when a child with hearing impairment should be taught sign language. I am solidly in the camp that they should be, at the earliest possible time.
The guy told me that his kid knew some signs, and then proceeded to show me the signs his son knew. The problem was that he was signing them wrong. Instead of signing "please" he signed "sorry." Instead of signing "mother" he signed "orange juice." Instead of signing "father" he signed "asshole."
At that moment, I could have gotten off the elliptical and taught the guy the correct signs. I could have had an entire conversation with him about how sign language is a precise language, not just random hand motions. How ASL isn't a language that is used instead of English, but it is an entire, complete language all by itself, with a rich culture and history.
I'm not exactly sure what deaf etiquette was in the situation. I mean, seriously, what are my responsibilities, as a deaf person, to the public at large when they want to engage with me about deafness in general?
I don't know.
And sometimes, I don't want to carry the deaf banner for the world. I just want to finish my work out in peace.
Go forth and write!
A few days ago, a guy came in who, apparently, took my lack of ear buds to mean that I would enjoy having a conversation with him.
I was "running" on the elliptical, and I didn't notice his attempts to talk to me until he started to wave his arms. I have no idea how long he'd been trying to get my attention prior to that. I gathered by his level of frustration, he had made several attempts. I signed to him that I was deaf, and went on about my "running."
For most folks in a gym, that's the show stopper, and they'll go on about their business and leave me be.
But that wasn't good enough for him. He continued to wave at me until I looked over at him, and then he wanted to have a conversation with me.
Sidebar: I'm generally a friendly person, but like, I don't know, everybody, I guess, when I'm in the gym, I just want to do my thing and leave. It's not exactly a happy place for me. More like necessary evil.
So this guy, who doesn't know sign language, wanted to tell me about his boy who is deaf, or hearing impaired, who wears hearing aids, or maybe has a cochlear implant. If I'm fuzzy on the details, I apologize, lip reading is sketchy at best, and I only have that and the guy's made up signs to go by. I signed to him and asked if his boy knew sign language.
Sidebar: This was a loaded question. I knew it was a loaded question when I asked it. There are all sorts of opinions out there about if and when a child with hearing impairment should be taught sign language. I am solidly in the camp that they should be, at the earliest possible time.
The guy told me that his kid knew some signs, and then proceeded to show me the signs his son knew. The problem was that he was signing them wrong. Instead of signing "please" he signed "sorry." Instead of signing "mother" he signed "orange juice." Instead of signing "father" he signed "asshole."
At that moment, I could have gotten off the elliptical and taught the guy the correct signs. I could have had an entire conversation with him about how sign language is a precise language, not just random hand motions. How ASL isn't a language that is used instead of English, but it is an entire, complete language all by itself, with a rich culture and history.
I'm not exactly sure what deaf etiquette was in the situation. I mean, seriously, what are my responsibilities, as a deaf person, to the public at large when they want to engage with me about deafness in general?
I don't know.
And sometimes, I don't want to carry the deaf banner for the world. I just want to finish my work out in peace.
Go forth and write!