Cochlear Implants, Deafness and an Episode of CSI

A few months ago someone made an off-hand remark about cochlear implants that really bothered me. This person said after having the implant for four years, my friend Bren "should hear and understand speech better" than he does. If he would make more of an effort to hear, he could. I tried
 to explain that not everyone with an implant is the same. No matter how long someone's had a cochlear implant, it may not benefit one person to the extent it does another. So many factors are involved and hearing is nothing like vision. One can't just put on a hearing aid or cochlear implant and expect to have perfect hearing, especially if the person using the hearing device was born deaf or pre-lingually deaf. This person didn't seem to understand, nor did they seem to want to understand. And that, my friends, is the biggest problem people with hearing loss and deafness face in this world: the Hearing World's Attitude.

On an episode of CSI a few years back Gil Grissom and company investigated the murder of a deaf college student. Warrick and Sidle were assigned to interview the Dean at the local college for the deaf. The Dean herself was deaf. After a failed attempt to interview the Dean and being kicked out of her office (they kept looking at the interpreter while speaking and not her), they commented to Grissom that she'd been extremely rude and seemed to have something against them because they could hear. The following are quotes from the episode, Sounds of Silence:

Gil Grissom: "How'd it go at the college?"
Sara Sidle: "They're not cooperating."
Warrick Brown: "Yeah, we didn't have a warrant, so she kicked us out."
Gil Grissom: "What did you do?"
Sara Sidle "What did we do? We met with the president, asked a few questions."
Warrick Brown: "She was kind of hostile."
Sara Sidle: "Like it's our fault we can hear."
Episode: (Sounds of Silence)

"Well, the president of the college is a real whack job."
"Sara, you see deafness as a pathology. For Dr. Gilbert, her deafness is not her handicap -- it's her way of life."
-- Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom (Sounds of Silence)

"You don't need to hear or speak to communicate..."
-- Gil Grissom (Sounds of Silence)

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Thanks for your post. I appreciate it! :-) More is coming soon....

Posted on 03/20/2009 at 2:03:03 PM

The reason for this is because you're looking at deafness the way most hearing people do: a pathology, something to be fixed. Most deaf people see themselves as Deaf, as a cultural entity. Why fix something that isn't broken? That being said, many culturally Deaf people I know, who received implants as adults still identify with the Deaf community and it's becoming more accepted today because we know it doesn't work miracles. Limitations are still there. What bothers most Deaf is the fact that the Hearing world wants to bend us to their will and "fix" our deaf children. If my child is born with hearing loss, I won't be bothered. Look at it this way, at least it's not something deadly, or Down's Syndrome or something worse.

Posted on 03/20/2009 at 2:03:18 PM

I am sure this will educate many people. I saw a "Cold Case" episode where the deaf parents didn't want their kid to get an implant. I just don't understand people who think that being deaf is "normal," and getting an implant is turning your back on the deaf community.

Posted on 03/20/2009 at 2:03:08 PM

this is very interesting and wonderfully written. I hope you do write more about communication and also your experiences.

Posted on 04/12/2008 at 5:04:04 PM

Very informative. I don't know much about deafness and these implants. You're a great writer. Keep up the good work!

Posted on 04/08/2008 at 8:04:30 AM

Another great article, Trinia, and on an important subject. It is one of those subjects that most people just don't quite understand and you explained it in a way I think will help.

Posted on 04/08/2008 at 7:04:50 AM

Thank you so much, Joanna! I appreciate the positive feedback! As a late-deafened adult, I sit on the fence of deaf/hearing culture. Raised in one, acclimated to the other, and not really a part of both completely. It's a fine line I walk every day. It's never easy, but somehow I manage this balancing act. Please watch for more posts concerning this topic and others as well! Have a great day!

Posted on 04/04/2008 at 6:04:21 PM

Thank you for being a positive representative on this issue. I went to school for speech pathology and my professor who taught my sign language class stressed the importance of understanding the Deaf culture. It really opened my eyes. Now I sit up and take notice when a tv show features this issue. Law & Order: SVU and Scrubs both had episodes that concern the Deaf culture. It's a very interesting subject for me. Thanks again!

Posted on 04/04/2008 at 5:04:52 PM

Thank you so much for the positive feedback!

Posted on 04/03/2008 at 9:04:26 PM

excellent read!

Posted on 04/03/2008 at 9:04:44 PM

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