Define Deaf Culture

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School

San Diego State University *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

101

Subject

Arts Humanities

Date

Oct 30, 2023

Type

pdf

Pages

Uploaded by MinisterSardine3621

Professor Cohen DLE 101 8 May 2022 Define Deaf Culture Deaf culture is part of a collectivist culture. Deaf people consider themselves part of a group that includes other deaf people and they are very close knit. They have a lot of value for the group and tend to help each other a lot. For example, they focus more on sharing information with each other rather than relying on themselves. Unlike individualist cultures who feel like everyone should be responsible for their own lives, deaf people would much rather share information with others if it meant helping out their peers. Deaf culture also means having a positive attitude towards being deaf and understanding that being deaf is not something that needs to be fixed. This also means that they strongly oppose the discrimination of deaf people. Deaf people don’t like it when people try to tell them that they are “sorry” that they are deaf because they don’t view it as something to be sad about. Instead they are proud of the opportunities they are given to be in such a welcoming community. In deaf culture, there are a lot of behavioral norms that might be different from western culture. For example, deaf people tend to keep each other informed about what is going on in each other's lives. If a deaf student in a deaf class were to arrive late to class, it is expected that they provide information as to why they were late. Also, when giving introductions, deaf people try to find common ground. Since their community is relatively small, when meeting another deaf person, they tend to already have people they know in common. Another thing is that deaf people make use of their time differently. It is typical for deaf people to show up to large events, such as lectures, early. This is so that they are able to get a seat that they will be able to get the

best clarity from. In social events, like parties, it is common for deaf people to stay for long periods of time. Deaf people tend to be the last people to leave a party because they value the interactions that they have with people. There is also a strong tradition of poetry and storytelling in the deaf community. Clayton Valli, Benjamin Bahan, and Ella Mae Lentz are some of the more prominent performers. Clayton Valli was a linguist and poet who helped legitimize ASL and introduce people to the language. In his poems he used imagery to convert insights into the deaf experience. There are also organizations such as the Deaf Professional Arts Network, who are dedicated to promote access to the entertainment and arts fields for people who are deaf and hard of hearing. American sign language is visual literature. In deaf culture, storytelling is especially important since their stories are preserved and passed down from generation to generation. They don’t rely on written down stories since ASL is not a written language. Storytelling is more meaningful and powerful to them. Art is also a very important aspect in the Deaf community. This is because it brings the Deaf community together. Their art puts the feelings and experiences of deaf people onto a canvas for people to see and understand. Most of the time, whether negative or positive, the feelings that are being expressed through the art piece are representative of the community. Deaf culture is something that I’ve never thought to learn about before taking this class. Deaf people have their own social norms, beliefs, and even literary styles. Now I understand the differences of its cultures compared to mine as well as how it is alike. I am excited to learn more about the deaf community as I continue to further my education about this topic.

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