A once impossible cure for deafness is coming, thanks to gene therapy.
  • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    21·
    1 year ago

    I remember reading before how getting your hearing repaired through surgery (when possible) can get you ostracized from deaf communities. Some consider their deafness to be part of their identity, and regaining your hearing can be treated as sacrificing your identity/heritage.

    • cum@lemmy.cafeEnglish
      19·
      1 year ago

      Lol I’ll trade the ability to hear for the cost some judgemental deaf people jealous of me. What are they gonna do, sign language at me angrily?

    • Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
      9·
      1 year ago

      so like i have autism (and probably adhd) and i get their sentiment, but fucking hell i’m not gonna say no to getting rid of the overstimulation and autistic breakdowns…

      There’s a difference between a function variation and a disability, and being deaf is absolutely a fucking disability as it’s pretty nice to be able to hear oncoming trains and avoid being turned into a red mist.

      also hey how about instead of being gatekeepers, they teach other people to sign? i’d sure like to have sign as a fallback for when my autistic brain decides speaking isn’t happening today. Or, you know, when you’re far away from someone and don’t want to shout at the top of your lungs…

      • Fubarberry@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        7·
        1 year ago

        Here’s an article talking about it

        Quote:

        The controversy is sometimes difficult for hearing people to understand. Hearing people often assume that Deaf people would naturally want to take advantage of any method that could lead them to become part of the hearing world — especially cochlear implants, the most advanced hearing technology we have. In reality, that assumption is far from true. To members of Deaf culture, American Sign Language is a cultural cornerstone. Because Deaf children who receive cochlear implants at a young age will likely be educated in the oralist method, they are less likely to learn ASL during their early years, which are the most critical years of language acquisition. For some Deaf parents, that would result in a child who speaks a different language than they do.

        The article covers a lot more than that, so I recommend reading it to get the full picture.

    • x4740N@lemmy.world
      English
      1·
      1 year ago

      Thats fucked, why would someone think a life altering disadvantage being part of someone’s identity be a good thing

      If people can find ways to make their lives better then they shouldn’t be ostracised for it