Hear Me Out! [CC]

Bridging the Gap Between the Hearing & Deaf Worlds

The Hear Me Out! [CC] Podcast

Check out the posts below where you can listen or read the transcripts of The Hear Me Out! [CC] Podcast.

How Can I Force Myself To Go Deaf Permanently? [Video]

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Rather than asking how people go deaf in general (genetic, accident, illness, etc.), a popular question is “how can I become deaf”…like literally and deliberately force it upon yourself.

It’s an unusual question but it’s not something that I encourage.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing “wrong” with being deaf. But people have to realise and understand that it’s not a novelty or “a bit of fun”. It comes with barriers and challenges.

But rather than quickly judge those who asks this question, perhaps there is more to the story.

Learn more about on the topic of wanting to go deaf

“Dear Taxi Drivers…” – From a Deaf/Hard of Hearing Passenger [Video]

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As part of my message to taxi drivers and companies, I want to share my own experience (and for others) on how, by working together, the driver and passengers can have a smoother process.

Because if taxi drivers can be deaf aware of what to do when they have deaf/hard of hearing passengers, it will avoid all sorts of awkwardness, complications and miscommunications.

And the process of getting from A to B will be a smoother one for everyone involved.

Learn more on what taxi companies can do for deaf/hard of hearing passengers

How “Inspiration Porn” Can Affect Deaf People? [Video]

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If you are not familiar with “inspiration porn”, you are bound to have come across them in your life. But they can be detrimental to d/Deaf and hard of hearing people.

Originally coined by Stella Young at a TEDx talk, “inspiration porn” has become a very common used when disabled people are being used as a source of inspiration for doing everyday tasks like getting of the bed and going on public transport.

And for d/Deaf people, we are not exempt from that either, and below will explain why.

Learn about “inspiration porn” and the problems they can cause

How I Meditate as a Deaf/Hard of Hearing Person? [Video]

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Some people might assume that it’s impossible for d/Deaf and hard of hearing people to meditate (perhaps more accurately, guided meditation).

Even though there are obvious challenges when it comes to using guided meditation (such as whether it’s possible or not to hear or understand what the audio voice is saying), I have managed to find a system that suits me.

Find out how I meditate here

‘Making The Arts Accessible by Captioning Live Events’ – with Melanie Sharpe, CEO of Stagetext

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It’s not a surprise that going to the theatres, art galleries, museums and other similar events are challenge for those who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing.

But thankfully, there are companies like Stagetext who provides live captioning for anyone who wants to experience arts and culture like theatre, art gallery and other live events.

Listen or read the interview with Stagetext CEO, Melanie Sharpe

‘Even Deaf Gamers Can (and Want to) Play Video Games Too’ – with Chris aka DeafGamersTV

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I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Robinson aka DeafGamersTV who is a passionate about video games, regularly streams live on Twitch/Mixer to his audience and is advocating gaming accessibility for deaf/hoh gamers out there.

As Chris is more comfortable communicating via ASL (and I don’t know any ASL), we have decided to do the interview via emails. And it was so much fun to learn more about what goes on behind-the-scene and also learn more about the deaf gaming accessibility world.

Listen or read the interview with DeafGamersTV

My First Captioned Movie Experience as a Deaf/Hard of Hearing Cinema Customer

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After several years hiatus, I have gone back to the cinema to watch the new Star Wars movie, which also happens to be the first time ever I watched a movie with captions.

This post is not a review of the movie nor will there be any spoilers. It’s just a personal story of how it went for me and what could be done to make the cinema experience even more accessible for more people.

Click here to learn more about my first captioned cinema experience here

Mainstream School vs Deaf School: What’s the Difference and the Respective Pros & Cons?

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A common difficulty for many parents or students to make is to decide which school to apply and attend.

But it’s a completely unique and different set of challenges for d/Deaf or hard of hearing students. It’s not about deciding which school to go to, but rather whether to go to a mainstream or deaf school.

But to help you go in the right direction, it’s crucial to understand the difference between mainstream school and deaf schools, whilst also understanding the pros and cons of both types of schools.

Click here to learn more about the differences between mainstream and deaf school