Michelle Atkinson: An open letter to my daughter’s school

Hello! I hope you don’t mind me contacting you, however I wanted to share my thoughts with you. It is related to the name of the resource base at the school and the overall terminology of the words ‘hearing impaired’.

One of the ways deaf individuals are perceived in a negative light is through the use of the term ‘hearing impaired’. It’s based on an attitude that “deaf people can’t” not “they can”. From a hearing perspective, in comparison to a person that can hear, a deaf person cannot hear and is broken as in ‘impaired’. However, in contrast, from a deaf perspective, it doesn’t matter how much you hear, at the end of the day you are deaf and you don’t hear (don’t being the key word, not can’t)

Using ‘hearing impaired’ as a label creates a negative identity for the deaf child before they’ve even attempted to face the big wide world. And even then they have been told to use a label that defines them as broken, something that needs fixing, breeding negativity in themselves and those around them. Where is the positive language in all this?

Whilst I understand this is a term medically used across the UK, the term is oppressive to the deaf community and is becoming used less and less. Historically, the term ‘deaf and dumb’ was used for many years in medical/education settings and has since been eradicated. Consequently, the term ‘hearing impaired’ is heading that way too.

You will find many deaf-related links now use the term deaf. For example, the NDCS defines the term deaf to cover every hearing frequency, along with university courses such as MA in Deaf Education qualifying as a Teacher of the Deaf (the qualification is no longer classed as a Teacher for the Hearing Impaired) and many more.

Looking into the deeper meaning, the definition of impairment according to the Oxford dictionary states “a condition that means part of your body does not work correctly”. It implies something to be fixed. We wouldn’t say a walking impairment for a wheelchair user. It is not something that can be fixed. The same applies for hearing impairment, deafness is not something you can fix, nor should you feel the need to.

The negative term “hearing impaired” was discussed on a Facebook group recently. I have included some insights along with this letter. One of the insights uses analogy, sharing an example of the word diabetes. There are many spectrums of diabetes, from being controlled by specific tablets to insulin, from type 1 to type 2. But they all are classed under one term; diabetes. The only need to distinguish your type of diabetes is when it comes to medical terms.

Autism is another example. In a similar context, this applies to deaf people, we don’t need to constantly define how deaf we are, we are simply deaf that’s it. In a more controversial context, looking at different perspectives, we wouldn’t call people ‘white impaired’ because they don’t have white skin? Or ‘male impaired’ because you are a female?

Another insight shared on the Facebook post offered an interesting yet important insight into the deaf world; Deaf Gain. The person able to concentrate on their work in the office because they don’t hear the chatter around them? That’s deaf gain. The person who can communicate with deaf people all over the world? That’s deaf gain. If we started impairing people on what they cannot do, do we call hearing people ‘deaf impaired’ from this perspective because they don’t have deaf gain?

Personally, I grew up with the term ‘hearing impaired’ both medically and in education. I recognised this as a term used all over my paperwork, I was sent to the ‘hearing impaired’ unit every day. The use of this language made me feel ‘less’ than others, like I was a hindrance and I’d say “sorry I’m deaf” as if I needed to apologise for my deafness. I questioned if I was broken, that the hearing world saw me as damaged goods. I am one of the few lucky ones to be born and raised in a deaf family, I knew I was not broken.

Fast forward to now, you’ll rarely meet a deaf adult who label themselves as hearing impaired (apart from the minority who became deaf later in life and had hearing to begin with, hearing that they lost or got damaged) yet you still see this term being used medically and educationally in some places that are linked to deaf children.

And more so, deaf children accepting this label given to them without a fully informed, educated choice as to what this term really means or even accepting that they are broken/damaged. This makes me feel sad. I do not want this for deaf children, for my daughter.

Although I believe in respecting personal choice, are people approaching the choice of terminology fully informed? Fully informed on what the word impaired really means? Fully educated what the word deaf means? There is so much more to being deaf, it really is a golden ticket, something to be celebrated.

A lot of the world see the term deaf as in no hearing. It really isn’t. And the more the term hearing impaired is used, the less educated other people will be about the term deaf.

The term deaf promotes a happy positive identity, it promotes acceptance. The term deaf covers so much more deaf culture, deaf community, deaf gain, deaf identity…I could go on. Deaf is not a dirty word. Deaf is not a bad word. There’s no shame in identifying as deaf.

On this Facebook post, I saw parents who commented that their children are hearing impaired, not deaf. By using the term HI and the “my child is not deaf” approach has the potential to encroach and stall the development of a happy, positive deaf identity.

I empathise with the grieving process for hearing parents discovering their child is deaf. And it’s a journey of acceptance and enhancing your deaf child’s life the best you can as parents. I don’t judge parents. I do feel the responsibility lies with the old school professionals who continue to use the term HI, portraying the word deaf in a negative light, oppressing the views and feelings of the deaf community.

On a personal note, I am not keen on labels myself. Even when it comes to the whole little d/big D deaf debate. I‘m not defined by being deaf. I’m just deaf. Just as I identify as a women, I have green eyes, I am white, I am petite, I am deaf. And proud. I’m not advocating to wear a big badge “Deaf”, joining a big club with a marching band, no. I’m advocating a positive identity. I hope my letter comes across this way.

I try to promote positive language everywhere I go. And try to educate others by sharing my knowledge and experiences. I hope you understand what I am trying to say and approach this with an open mind, an open heart.

I look forward to your reply, and as always, I am happy to work with you to achieve the best we can for deaf children.

Best wishes,

A deaf mother of a deaf daughter

Michelle Atkinson is Deaf and grew up in a Deaf family. She is currently a trainee Teacher for the Deaf based in a deaf school setting with an ultimate career goal to become an advisory Teacher for the Deaf for newly identified deaf children.

She is passionate about the prosperity of deaf children, and their paramount exposure and access to language. You can contact her at geekydumbblonde@icloud.com