The book presents information on the terms and labels that are frequently used by people in the Deaf community. “Deaf”, “hard of hearing”, and “hearing” are often used to describe individuals or communities to which people belong. There is another term that is also widely used but not fully acknowledged. “Hearing-but” specifies a qualification of the label “hearing”. It can be signed in different ways. Some examples of its application: she is hearing but she has Deaf parents; he is hearing but he has a Deaf spouse; she is hearing but she signs fluently; he is hearing but he has been a strong advocate of the Deaf community; she is hearing but she has a close relationship with a Deaf sibling; he is hearing but he teaches at a Deaf school and works closely with Deaf staff members; she is hearing who knows no sign language but has been instrumental in getting deaf people hired. These are just a few examples of how “hearing-but” is used. |