How can I help hearing people to understand the Deaf community?
I get it a lot too, and they are constantly shocked when they find out just how “mainstreamed” i am. I just sign insults at the offending people, and then i turn and walk away. I also just try and be friends with others. i don’t mention my deafness at first, it’s kind of a “find out yourself” thing. It took my best friend three months to find out i was deaf, because he wasn’t in my classes (we shared lunch though) He just thought i had a cool accent and thought i was from a different place. good luck, i know it’s rough. High school still sucks for me because now my best friend is in a different lunch hour. If they ask, you can explain it to them then. I just said, “Technically, i’m signing in English :P” If someone was interested in soccer like me, i would teach them the sign for soccer and game, and some other signs that related to soccer. It’s a matter of seeing what the person is like, and adjusting your approach to explaining your background. Just like blacks have their community,
