Q1 - What is Being dDeaf?
(Q1) What is Being dDeaf? Do you have strong feelings being (with the) dDeaf? If so, what are they?
- the vigiliant feelings you have for the deaf schools you grew up at? What about those who attended mainstreaming public schools? The proud feelings of attending Gallaudet University, and those feelings never attending there? The growing dread and fear of losing your hearing or celebrating it? The discomforting feeling when seeing or approaching a signing person in public, or the natural fascinating draw one feel toward signers? The disappointment culturally deaf people later in life had realizing not being born to deaf parents or graduating from a deaf school? The satisfying feeling finding out that your own child is deaf or the opposite - abhorrent gloom finding out one’s baby is deaf? The slowly realized feelings of a proud bilingual CODA adult or a deeply embittered non-signing CODA? The death knell feelings to deafness if signing and deafness are to be eradicated from the face of the earth?
. . . All of the above, and in the between, are psychological and spiritual issues associated with dDeafhood - being (with the) dDeaf.
This blogsite has begun its journey of transformation. Next posts will be in form of asking questions. Spirituality of Being Deaf will continue with question #2 on the next post.
June 29th, 2007 at 10:15 am
I’m interested in what you have going on here in this post. I’m not sure where to begin though. You asked so many questions. Maybe if you broke them down individually or numbered them it might be easier to give and receive responses.
I do believe that the psychological experience we each have as d/Deaf individuals definitely plays a part in the view of our spiritual expressions, yet you have not yet defined spirituality or clarified what exactly you are asking in connection with spirituality.
Until you clarify, people may misinterpret this to mean religion. Is this what you mean?
I definitely am intrigued with the concept you potentially have going here with the connection of the psych. and spiritual experiences of d/Deaf people.
So far, it appears you are asking for psychological experiences of being d/Deaf or CODA or a parent of d/Deaf. Where does the spirituality fit in?
Can you offer more clarification on this concept?
Thanks.
~ LaRonda