By Open Hands Library Curator According to the World Health Organization (2021), being deaf is medically defined as the reduced ability to detect sounds with hearing thresholds of 20dB or greater in one or both ears. In simple terms, sounds as small as leaves rustling cannot be heard. As such, hearing loss and deafness may be mild, moderate, severe, or profound and can be caused by various things such as infection, injury, or comorbidity such as Usher's or CHARGE syndrome. However, there is more to deafness than just "hearing loss". In contrast to a medical approach to deafness, many of those diagnosed with hearing loss have found themselves in a much more profound light. Often indicated with a capital "D", Deafness is a cultural identity and entity made up of those impacted by deafness (lower case "d"). This community is comprised of deaf, hard of hearing, late deaf, deaf+, deaf blind, CODA (child of a deaf adult), SODA (sibling of a deaf adult), parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, interpreters, advocates, and more. Most often not connected by birth or country of origin, it is commonly estimate that while at least 50% of cases of deafness are a result of a genetic factor, at least 90% of deaf children are born into hearing families. A large majority of whom do not recognize the Deaf community's most prized possession - sign language. For the 10% that do recognize and learn sign language for their child, a large majority of these families learn sign language alongside their child. As a result, Deaf culture is overwhelming misinherited by deaf children. Therefore, these deaf children must learn and acquire their deaf culture outside of their family through other Deaf individuals. What is Deaf culture? Deaf culture is a cultural practice and identity of deaf, hard of hearing, late deaf, deaf blind, deaf+, etc individuals. It is practiced according to their own country or region and is often characterized by the use of sign language and a visual orientation. Like hearing loss, sign language expression can vary from Simultaneous Communication (SimCom), Signed Exact English (SEE), Pidgin Signed English (PSE), ASL, ProTactile ASL, and anywhere beyond and between. This primarily depends on how, when, and where the individual acquired the language. These forms of sign are generally considered as means of communication. However, in the Deaf community some may be more welcomed than others. The following is a quick comparison of three of the modes mentioned above. Deaf culture is also comprised of values and tendencies. Due to the reduced input of sound to the brain, a deaf person's body and brain begins to rewire itself to compensate for the difference. Most often, the visual senses pick up what the ears do not. As a result, deaf people have become, as George Veditz put it, "people of the eye". Thus, deaf people are commonly attuned to the more visual aspects of their life. Deaf culture has embraced this as a cultural component. Using flashing lights and vibrations, deaf people can detect the visual "noise" just as a hearing person would hear. From door bells, to text messages, to alarms, and even phones. Not to mention the video phone which was invented to give deaf people access to this form of communication. These cultural components and values are, as the Deaf community expresses, not attributed to hearting loss but Deaf Gain. The following is an in-depth, but not comprehensive, informational video on Deaf culture. Have questions about deafness, Deaf culture, sign language, and more? Check out our resource page or contact us. You can also leave your questions in the comments below.
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