Running head: MY EXAMINATION OF THE DEAF CULTURE
The Deaf Culture
Kate Zito-Salmi
Concordia University
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MY EXAMINATION OF THE DEAF CULTURE
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I want to explore the Deaf culture, because I believe this knowledge will help me become a more
competent communicator in my future work with human services. In my seasonal position of
four months, with Energy Assistance, I assisted two individuals that were Deaf. We were not
prepared to communicate properly with individuals in the Deaf community. We had little
understanding of this culture, and therefore we did not do a good of a job, creating a welcoming
environment. I have a son, that lost most of his hearing in one ear from a Mastoid, so I know that
even being hard of hearing can be difficult. It becomes much more complex with total loss of
hearing.
Jandt (2010), defines culture as, “Sum total of ways of living, including behavioral norms,
linguistic expression, styles of communication, patterns of thinking, and beliefs and values of a
group large enough to be self-sustaining transmitted over the course of generations” (p. G-4).
The Deaf community meets this general definition of culture. It is understood in studying
cultures, that unless you are part of a culture, you can never have the same perspective. In the
Deaf community however, there is a deep link to each other, that has become global, the Deaf
Nation.
There are similarities in the Deaf culture and differences. There is the need for some to live with
the hearing community, while others choose to live separate in their own communities. There is
the Cochlear Implant controversy, which has been widely debated for and against. There are
differences in language, and signing. There schools for the Deaf that separate children from the
families, in the boarding school style. Individuals can enter the Deaf culture at different points,
and most do not have parents that are Deaf, so they do not acquire their culture from their family
(Ladd, 2003).
MY EXAMINATION OF THE DEAF CULTURE
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This is a culture that has risen from oppression in society and now demands the equality it
deserves. It is a culture that thrives on its differences with the hearing world, and does not
welcome sympathy.
This is why I would like to discover the Deaf culture, and gain knowledge about this very
interesting and relevant culture. The Deaf Culture intersects with other kinds of cultural identity
such as; gender, education, ethnicity, race, poverty, sexual orientation and, many variables within
the culture. There is also stereotyping of the Deaf community by the hearing community. These
are variables in this culture to be compared and studied.
MY EXAMINATION OF THE DEAF CULTURE
References:
Jandt, F. E. (2010). Armstrong, T. (6th Eds). An Introduction to Intercultural
Communication. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA.
Ladd, P. (2003). Understanding Deaf Culture: In Search of Deafhood. Clevedon, England:
Multilingual Matters
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