About my Deafness... I got so many countless reactions and questions. So I thought I should write something down so everyone can understand.
I was born deaf because my mother had German Measles which destroyed the hair in my ears while I was in the womb. Yes that was all it took to ruin my hearing. But otherwise I was born perfect. I was raised in a way that I never realized I was different until I was older. My own brother who was born a year and half later learned sign language even though he was hearing as his first language. So my life was perfectly normal to me because I still can do all of the things other people could!
Now when I say I am deaf.. It doesn't mean I can't hear ANYTHING. Personally, I can hear airplanes, big dogs barking, someone screaming really close to my ear, motorcycles and souped up cars. So I still can hear things. I just can't hear words or low noises.
The most questions people ask me is about Music and hearing things. But you know, I can hear LOUD music and just not the words. But just crank up the music, we all can feel it. The beat is important. And that's enough for us.
But, we don't like it when people act like it's a deadly disease. Like we are dying of something really bad or afflicted with something that is awful and incurable. It's not very polite to act like that towards a deaf person.
I mean, how would you feel if we said "OMG, I'm so sorry that your eyes are colored that way! That's awful!" You feel that is silly, don't you? Same thing with Deafness. If we are not upset about it and are quite fine with it, why should you be upset? We are still a full functioning group of people. We can see movies, we can see the sky, smell the flowers, write beautiful poetry and so much more. Everyone knows that it's not right to say that it's awful if you are a certain color, a certain gender or if you are gay, straight or bi. So please include Deafness in that category.
Deafness is a beautiful thing. You get to see things in a whole new light. You learn a new language. And what's even more: you still hear loud noises and you can still feel music. That's enough for us you know?
A few facts you might did not know about us in general:
-Car Insurance Polls show that Deaf Drivers are better than Hearing Drivers.
-Marlee Matlin was the first deaf Actress to win an Oscar and danced her way through "Dancing With The Stars". (See, a deaf woman can do it!)
-There is a All Deaf Rock Band called Beethoven's Nightmare. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-84d39nlRYY
-Beethoven was a famous composer who made beautiful music and he became deaf in his later years. Even though he couldn't hear, he kept on composing music.
-Lou Ferrigno, the famous original HULK actor, is Hard of Hearing.
-Mark Ruffalo and Rob Lowe is deaf in one ear. (Mark in Left Ear, Rob in Right Ear)
-Alexander Graham Bell who invented electricity and the light bulb had a hard of hearing mother and he married a Deaf woman.
-Mark Hamill, a famous MMA Fighter, is deaf.
-Deanne Bray had a TV show "F.B. Eye" and she is deaf.
-Heather Whitestone who won Miss America in '95 is deaf.
-Ashley Fiolek, a FWA Motocross Champion, is deaf.
-Kathleen Ollerenshaw, a British Mathematic and Politician, is deaf.
Think about it. It is clear that nothing stopped the Deaf Community and we didn't let our deaf ears hold us back. So don't be sad, be proud of us! :D
-Kelsey Fireheart: A Proud Deaf Woman!
StarsoftheSpiral.com
Just so you know, I really admire how Beethoven overcame that and had such great music and could hardly hear it. Plus Helen Keller is even more amazing, I couldn't imagine being blind and deaf. Thanks for doing so much for the community :)
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