As I was scrolling through the deaf blogosphere, many different things are jumping out at me....Deaf pride, reverse deaf discrimination, etc. etc..... So here's a few thoughts of mine.

1) The Matt Hamill situation: People, people, PEOPLE!!!!!  Can we all take a deep breath here and slow down for a minute? My goodness, you would have thought Matt had started WW3.  He chose to support a hearing actor to play his role in a movie about HIS life story.  Last time I checked, Matt was what we call an "oral deaf", having grown up hard of hearing and using some sign.  In a nutshell, this person is perhaps best qualified to play his role.  I imagine the thought process for the hearing actor went something like this:  "If this were to happen to ME, how would I react?  How did Matt react?  Now combine the two, and you have it in a nutshell".  

Fact: I grew up much the same way. Hard of hearing (diagnosed at 4 years of age) lost what was left of my hearing at a late age (around 17 years of age), so I empathize completely. I had ZERO role models, was the only deaf/hoh kid in my school system, and (unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your point of view) grew up in the time when most audiologists and doctors specifically recommended against sending a child who could speak to a deaf school for fear they would lose the ability to speak and so on.  Would I have wanted to attend my state school for the deaf? Probably not, but it would have been nice to know all the options, have role models to draw from, network with, learn, etc. 

By the time IDEA came to fruition, I was already in school, and being here in little ol' Eastern Kentucky, we were a few years behind the times.  But I will say this:  this prepared me better for the real world than anything else could have. I had to struggle to find my true identity as a deaf person, but in that struggle, I found MYSELF, and that self was pretty damn good.  I learned that I am a strong, driven person with a desire to succeed at any and everything I do.  I like to poke my finger in the eye of conventional wisdom, figuring if it was conventional, then it needs a change of pace to keep it interesting.  

Anyway, my point in this rambling diatribe is this:  Leave Matt alone.  He's an individual in a sport (Ultimate Fighting) that really flies in the face of conventional wisdom. I doubt that bemoaning his choice to play him and vilifying him to the ends of the earth will really have an impact upon him.  No matter how you feel about him, he is an EXCELLENT role model for deaf/hoh kids today.  He tells people "Hey, I did this and so can you!" with his actions and his words.  A little individuality is just what the doctor ordered for the deaf/hoh community.  To the deaf militants out there who believe if you speak and sign, you are not truly "D" deaf, you are "d" deaf, if you don't use ASL only, you're a wannabe deafie, if you welcome all people of  different stripes (deaf, hoh, oral deaf, etc.) into your definition of the deaf culture, you are not a good deafie.  HOGWASH.  

The deaf community is made up of millions of individuals of all shapes, sizes and identities.  To minimize their impact on our culture is to insult and disrespect those who came before you.  Get over it, move on, and be thankful people like Matt are out there changing the face and perception of deafness on a daily basis.

2)  Deaf Pride:  I'm only gonna say this once (okay, okay, maybe twice if you count the book): Deaf Pride is a wonderful thing IF it is receptive to change, inclusive in it's thoughts and actions, and demonstrative of acceptance.  Anything less than that is not Deaf Pride, it is Deaf Isolation.  

Say what you will, you know I am right.  No one is trying to diminish your pride in who you are, no one is trying to revert back to the olden days of Deaf and Dumb (well, maybe those AG Bell people, but I digress).  Once we become a culture of isolation, no one will want to have anything to do with us. Legislation will fall by the wayside that could help advance us, social norms will revert back to the old days of pity and sympathy, etc.  We must be inclusive in our words, thoughts, and deeds. Anything less is denying ourselves the opportunity to maintain the advances we have made, and further advance so that future generations can stand on our shoulders.  

Think about this for a minute, if you will.  It is oppression when deaf people try to distinguish between "D" deaf and "d" deaf.  Yes, I said OPRESSION.  No two ways about it, it is opression.  Oh, you can slap lipstick on that pig and call it a lady, but that lady would be a tramp.  That is, my friends, reverse discrimination amongst ourselves, and it is ugly and it is real.  I lived it at Gallaudet, still live it to this day. My goodness, I've seen interpreters try to come down on one side or the other, and frankly, that's not their place.  I dislike more than anything, interpreters who try to act as if they are deafies themselves.  If you want to advocate for the deaf, more power to you, but don't you DARE try to tell me I'm not as deaf as the next person!  I am, I just choose to live my life a little differently, and I accept ALL deaf people, even if I don't agree with their thoughts.

Hopefully, this will generate some comments, I'd like some feedback.  Flamers, do us all a favor and extinguish yourselves in a barrel of gasoline while sucking on an oxygen mask, okay?  True meaningful discussion is welcome and encouraged.