Stuff Hearing People Say to Deaf & HOH People

A YouTube video that has gone viral inspired me to write about the ignorant and funny comments some people make to deaf and hard of hearing people. The video I am talking about is by comedian Franchesca Ramsey. She recently uploaded a YouTube video S**t White Girls Say to Black Girls. Apparently, she was inspired by another YouTube video S**t Girls Say. The video is controversial and some people do not find it funny. I thought it was a pretty hilarious and interesting social commentary. I think what makes some people upset about it is that it makes them think and honestly evaluate themselves. Sometimes it can be hard to cast a critical eye on yourself. 

Too bad the video is not captioned! Because I don't want my fellow deaf and hard of hearing readers to be completely left out, I provided some of the dialogue that I am able to understand. If anyone, who can hear everything she said, would like to provide a transcript for the video, please feel free! That would be great. I would provide a full transcript, but it would not be very accurate, being that I'm hard of hearing and all. Sorry.

Partial transcript (some of the dialogue that I could hear):

"Not to be racist, but. . ."

"My grandma hates collards. Wait, is that racist?"

"Why isn't there a White Entertainment Television?" 

"My best friend was black. I mean, she's still black [unintelligible mumbling]".

"Why is this computer acting so ghetto?"

(Pointing to painted black figures) "That one kind of looks like you, right?"  

"Girlfriend!" 

"Hollah!" 

"I think what I like most about them is that they're not stereotypical like black people. You know what I mean?" 

"It's almost like you're not black."  

You get the idea.

Instead of making a video (I got lazy and could not find anyone who wanted to participate), I will write out some of the things I have actually heard people say to deaf and hard of hearing people, including me. For the record, I don't think all people with typical hearing will make these comments. I can understand why some of the following comments were made. However, I can't help but laugh at some of them for being unbelievably silly and rude.

Stuff Hearing People Say to Deaf and Hard of Hearing People:

• "Wow, I never would have known you are deaf!" 

• "You don't look deaf."

• "She was so beautiful, you would have not known she was deaf." 

• "What's reading braille like?" 

• "Can you have children?"

• "You speak so well!" 

• "You don't sound like a deaf person." 

• "What? There's no need for captions. Here, I'll turn up the volume, I don't mind." (turns up volume on t.v. really loud, smiles and gives the thumbs up).

• "Oh, never mind. I'll tell you later."

• "Turn up your hearing aid!"

• "Why don't deaf people just get cochlear implants?"

• "Oh, I love sign language! "A. . . . .B. . . . .C. . ."

• "Why don't you ever listen to me?" 

• "I bet you are just pretending to be deaf, huh?"

•  "What is your problem? You were hearing me fine just a second ago. Are you listening?" 

• "Oh, he's probably not deaf. Selective hearing, right?" (laughs)

• "GEEZ! I. . .SAID. . . WHAT. . .DO. . .YOU. . .WANT. . .TO. . .DO?!!!"  

•  "Doesn't it make you sad that you won't hear your child say, "I love you."?

•  "Can you read their lips and tell me what they are saying?" 

• "Oh, how do you sign @#%^, *#$%, %@!*&, and !@@#$%& ? 

•  "Can you hear me now?" (laughs)

•  "You don't need an interpreter. We can understand what you are saying."

• "Oh, you are deaf? Like Helen Keller! Cool!" 

• "Gosh, you deaf people are so angry and militant!" 

• (Whispers) "Look! He has a hearing aid, just like you!" (points)

• "Didn't you hear? Oh- Eer, um. . .so sorry, um." (laughs nervously)

• "Oh, you're deaf? Sorry." 

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