We are living in a time where more and more people are making video calls. But how do you video call someone who is deaf/hard of hearing? Is that even possible? There are so many tools and platforms out there you can use for video calls. But for all their fancy gadgets and quirky features, […]
advice
How I make and take video calls as a deaf person?
Video calls are on the rise. With more people working from home, remote working (or living in isolation because of a global pandemic) and with so many tools available to help us, more and more people are making use of video calls even for personal use too. But what about for someone like me who […]
“Dear taxi drivers…” – from a deaf passenger
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?
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
What is lip reading / speech reading like for deaf/hard of hearing people?
Since lip reading (or speech reading) is common for those who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing, what is it like for those who are unfamiliar with it and never uses it?
This post will explain my own personal experiences of lip reading plus look at removing the myths (like you can read lips from across the room 🙄) and also share some tips and advice on how to make it easier for the lip reader.
Why we need to stop apologising for being deaf or hard of hearing?
Do you have the habit of apologising for not being able to hear someone and you end saying “sorry” because you feel that it’s your fault.
Don’t worry if that applies to you, as I am also very guilty of saying the above and more over the years.
And personally, I believe should all stop over-apologising, as it having negative consequences to our lives.
How to make a deaf or hard of hearing person feel included?
For most, if not all d/Deaf and hard of hearing people, social events can be an awkward one and a difficult one at the same time.
If everyone is talking and the environment is not right, then it’s very easy to feel secluded and left alone.
But what if you, as a hearing person, want to prevent that? How can you help to make a d/Deaf/hard of hearing person feel included, at least as much as possible?
How you can look after yourself by being selfish?
Some of the topics that have been discussed here on this site are around mental health, concentration fatigue and deaf anxiety.
These are also the posts that have been getting a lot of attention lately, especially the latter.
But you also need to look after yourself, and this is why in this podcast, I talk about the importance of being selfish just so you can look after yourself.
Because if you don’t look after yourself, you can’t look after other people.
How to communicate with a deaf person? – 14 simple & actionable tips to overcome communication barriers
I’ve read a few tweets a while back where there is a common trend where the hearing person in question either walks away because they can’t be bothered, are scared or they stands still and ignores the d/Deaf individual.
You’d think that it can’t get worse or more ridiculous than that, but it can. If only they learnt some simple tips on how to get over that.