Addressing a Deaf person?
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Sign Language FAQ
What is the correct term to use when addressing a Deaf person?

Initially, when we researched the facts of Deaf Culture and its related information, we had no idea of the emotional side of the matter. Although we have Hard of Hearing friends and we had a lot of exposure to Deaf individuals, during compiling a living digital vocabulary, we hardly understood the disrespect the Deaf experienced by our ignorance.

First we had no idea that there was something like a Deaf Culture. To be fair, most of the hearing world does not know about this culture incorporated in its own broader society. There is no other conclusion when observing a Deaf individual, that he/she is as competent, to have a significant live, to serve and to contribute and to be just as annoying as any other person in the hearing world. Therefore, if one does not like to be labelled, so would any other person, hearing or deaf.

The terms is, "deaf" or a "Deaf person" or "Hard of hearing", and none other, and the prognoses is "loss of hearing" and only when, a person who previously was able to hear, has lost that ability. Babies born without the ability to hear is "Deaf". The term "hearing impaired" is experienced as an insult and should be avoided at all cost.