Deaf or deaf? Can a Capital Letter Make a Difference?

Apparently it can, and it's a difference that those with D/deaf friends or co-workers might want to watch out for.

Many people who were born Deaf do not consider themselves dis-abled, but part of a cultural/language group, in the same way people consider themselves,White or Italian, or Native American. This may boggle many hearing people, but is more understandable when one considers that people born Deaf often learn ASL or American Sign Language, as their "Native Language" instead of English. For these people and many others, Deafness is not a disability, but the way of life they grew up with, similar to someone growing up Italian, in a neighborhood in NY and speaking a dialect of Italian at home, and English, mostly outside of the home. Some Deaf people are unable to speak or simply never learn, and ASL is their primary language. These Deaf people often take an active part in Deaf culture, going to Deaf sporting events and possibly a Deaf college. Since they have been Deaf since birth, they simply see the way they do things as cultural and not related to any disability. Culturally Deaf people, often refer to themselves as "Deaf" with a "BIG D".

Many deaf people however, are in a completely different position. People who became deaf later in life, often do not know how to speak ASL. They do not have the practice of an entire life of doing things as a Deaf person, and grew up most likely in a hearing culture. These people often do not consider themselves part of the Deaf community, and it's easy to see why, they don't speak the language. People with a sever hearing loss, that did not grow up with it are often referred to as "deaf", with a "little d". Very often they do consider themselves disabled, because until and unless they learn to sign, or do things differently, they are. "Little d", deaf people are often boggled that others who can not hear do not consider themselves disabled at all.

Is there a way to tell the difference?

Considering yourself Deaf or deaf, is a very personal thing. While there may be clues in one direction or the other, telling the difference is really a matter of asking respectfully. In fact, it's often difficult or impossible to tell that someone you know is deaf or hard of hearing at all. If you feel the need to know, or your curiosity is simply getting the best of you, it's a good idea to ask - respectfully. Many Deaf people will proudly proclaim that they are not disabled. Many deaf people, on the other hand, will be heard saying "Don't call me DEAF !", and would rather be called "hard of hearing". To further complicate things, many people, particularly those who are late deafened, aren't sure where they fit it. Late deafened people may feel like, "fence straddlers", especially if there is a time when they have gone completely deaf, but have not learned ASL yet.

Don't be too surprised, if someone who can hear a little describes themselves as Deaf or deaf, instead of "Hard of Hearing", however. There are many cases where people with sever or even mild hearing loss, will be part of the Deaf community. There are also times, particularly among those that are "frequency deaf", that it is easier to explain that you are deaf, rather than explain that you can hear one person, but not the person next to them ! Especially in large gatherings, where you are going to meet many new people it is often safer for the deaf person to assume they won't be able to hear anyone, than to it is for them to assume they can, and then have to explain why they can't.

The best idea can be to simply listen carefully to how the person describes themselves and their hearing loss, and to keep in mind that the description may change, depending on the situation. For instance, in a semi- formal situation, when names are being giving out, or people are asked to asked to, "Say your name and something about yourself", someone may announce that they are "deaf" to avoid confusion, but in a more formal setting refer to themselves as "hard of hearing".

Whether a person chooses to use "Deaf", or "deaf, or even "hard of hearing", to describe themselves or their hearing loss is a personal choice. That personal choice should be respected because in the end, respect is important to everyone, no matter how they choose to describe themselves.