… because if you weren’t deaf,
it would actually be a compliment.

I’m always getting complimented on my articulacy. Putting the socially expected modesty aside, yes I am more articulate than the average person. I have an excellent grasp of the English language, and I can put most people to shame with my wordsmithery.

I’m here to tell you it isn’t a fucking compliment most of the time. No unintentional (or intentional) backhanded compliment is actually a compliment. It would be more accurate to say these kind of comments are insults veiled in passive aggressive niceness and politeness. It is a sort of social poison, bred of ignorance, others’ judgemental assumptions about deaf people and rooted in hearing superiority.

The context in which my articulateness comes up is almost always (I would say 90 percent of the time) because of my deafness. People use it to defend me to muppets who think that my disability disables me to the extent I am incapable of performing normal parenting and life functions. – “She is very articulate and capable”. It is nice to be defended and challenge another’s false perception of me as a deaf person (thank you!)… but it is still insulting.

As a general rule, deaf people aren’t inarticulate. Deaf people aren’t dumb. Deaf people have a rich language (whatever that language happens to be). Deaf people are no MORE these things any more than your typical hearing person. So fuck you all very much.

I’m not sure how one would defend me appropriately if needed to be. I can speak for myself. You could always tell me what was said and I’ll do my own defending. If I’m not there, I guess there are two ways you could go. The “You’re a fucking muppet, I’m not even gonna respond to correct your ignorance, go away and die in some marvellous Darwinian way and win an award” approach. Or the educational way because social poison and social perception won’t change if ignorance is never challenged and people are never educated.

But if you do go the educational way – be mindful. Just please be mindful. When you inform other people of my excellent articulateness, you’re also reinforcing the unspoken, hidden social myth that deaf people can’t possibly be articulate, and that most deaf people are not like most hearing people. Even the ones who don’t speak English are still fucking articulate – in their own language whether that be Auslan, Signed English or some other language!

Other people also make notes of my articulacy within the system… because you see, its a noteworthy thing to record down given I am deaf!!!!! I am deaf, BUT I am very articulate! WOW! Thank you all so much! I really appreciate that supportive notation and how generous of you to record that down in your files on me. Sarcasm is fun to play with but let me be clear here. It is inappropriate and insulting. Fuck you all too.

How about instead of noting down that particular piece of ignorance on the basis of my deafness, make the attempt to get to know me and make notes which are relevant. Maybe keep your astounded surprise to yourself and pick your jaw up off the floor before you pick up your pen?

I’ll take compliments about articulacy from friends and people who know me – because they are genuine. I’ve had many friends (not that I should have to make a point of this, but… I will anyway).. many HEARING friends who use my English language and articulacy skill. I get asked for help to write letters, to do uni assignments, to proofread written work, and to give feedback on how to improve their written communication or grammar. I know these compliments are based on my actual ability, not my fucking deafness.

The rest of you can get fucked. Hopefully this makes you think twice about deaf people in general. Just because you may not be able to understand them or because they are scribbling a quick note to you while holding a flimsy piece of paper in their palm isn’t a reason to assume shit about their language abilities.

Yours truly,

– deaf in Society