Codas: not deaf, but Deaf, not Hearing, but hearing.

[kowl2005]

so intersting! Makes me want to learn more about CODA...

[lostismyconstent]

Wow.

I really wish I could think of something more moving to say, I can't say I understand, I don't. But you've enlightened me (a hearing, ASL student)

Thank you for sharing.

[sun79bear]

good point.... coda can EVEN food deaf ppl when coda pretend they r deaf... i love see that heh... good vlog...

[cle32on]

eu ver legal bem

barsil verdade mundo

[ASLElla]

Hey! I'm ashamed to say that I FINALLY got to watch this just now. And I LOVE this discussion! Hope I'll be able to respond well on a video or at least have a one on one chat with you. I grew up, work with and raised CODAs. And I know Paddy mentioned CODAs' significance in the Deaf World and how important we need to deeply discuss our relationships and their contributions. Onward for deeper enlightenment for ALL!

[onestillwave]

 And who are we to judge if they fit in to some label? some box? times are changing... there is no one meaning. Same as any culture.. there is a spectrum. Along the same lines as CODAs and the Hard of Hearing - consider people who are deaf and have other disabilities! Deafblind?? Spina bifida? intellectual disabilities? Where do they fit in to the Deaf culture?? hmmm

[onestillwave]

If everyone in the world was hearing, there would be no Deaf people, true? so there is a hearing ability factor. duh. So you can't rule that part of it out, but of course there is more than that. Everyone has different experiences, abilities, frustrations, cultural competencies... signing, oral, listening/amplification, vision, speechreading.. these are all ways people of the members of the Deaf community access information (from the hearing or Deaf worlds).

[onestillwave]

damn, how did I miss this video in September?! Anyway, I am so glad you bring this up - as I see many are. I've studies speech-language pathology (at gally), and let me tell you, times are changing... and of course the culture is changing. Of course, there is no one way to define what it means to be Deaf, but the truth is is that no matter what it means, it is different than the meaning from 50 years ago ... or 10 years ago.

[platnmwoman]

Ironic- I just wrote a paper for a class I'm taking, taught by Flavia Fleischer, about how/where CODAs fit in. They can't ever truly be part of the "Deaf ethnicity" core, yet they make up a large percentage of native signers due to 90% of deaf being born to hearing parents. Wish I watched this before I wrote my paper though! But I'm totally on the same page as you. If we're fighting the majority discourses we have to let go of the pathological perspective completely! 

[hamolina]

That's deep.......este man habla la verdad!

[jdizzle14100]

Blah blah

[sykosmkr]

its amazing to see the advancements we ARE making tho, I am not deaf or K/CODA but am SODA me and my bro are very close and i grew up following his lead into deaf culture and sometimes found myself knocked on my butt after hitting their wall but at the same time I'm too aware and involved to ever fully immerse myself in the hearing culture. As a kid I was always separated out, and still ride the fence lol, its a big world and we are a smart species you'd think we'd figured it out by now, kudos

[Shelllium]

cont...instability that is often economically based. Kids whose D-D or D-H parents have separated or divorced etc... etc... Some KODAs withdraw from Deaf community. There should be an agreed acceptance, inclusion and full support for all KODAs to give them the best chance at a healthy bi-cultural life.

[Shelllium]

Interpreter perspective: K/Codas need as much community support as they can get and so do their parents and teachers. Kids who don't talk in school but prefer to sign and identify with being Deaf like Mom and Dad. Kids who struggle with poverty due to the lack of opportunities for their parents. Kids who wrestle with academic issues in part due to more limited academic language exposure compared to their non-Koda peers. Kids who go through the instability that accompanies parental

[TheBarryHarrison]

(...) I might be wrong with what I said and I’m no CODA, but I do get what you mean, dude. I guess what I’m really trynna say is that I hate the fact of people within a community who value equality cause division amongst each other. It IS ironic!!

Sorry I might sound a little unkind. I’m no Deaf community expert, but I do know how you feel. You’ve got a heart of gold, and your concern for this issue shows passion. Keep rockin’!

[TheBarryHarrison]

(...) inequality, etc. I myself never experienced any of the frustrations the Deaf went though within their community (as a hearing person), but I have had plenty of frustrations with acceptance growing up. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re worlds apart; we all do, and it’s not fun. No one should be disregarded just because of one’s ability (or lack thereof). We all share something in common, and that’s what should keep the equality alive. (...)

[TheBarryHarrison]

Erik, I hear what you’re saying.

For me, I’m a newbie. I’ve been around the Deaf community for just over a year now, and I don’t know a whole lot about everything, I’m no CODA myself, and I still have room for intake, so my comment might not even matter. But I do have some general background knowledge of the Deaf community and the difference with the big "D"-eaf and the little "d"-eaf and the HoH. A few words come to mind: audism, neglect, imbalance, ignorance (...)

[connierc1]

Hello, I have always enjoyed your tersp, vlogs, - just about anything you do! As someone who is only slightly above "beginner" in ASL, I'd love if you could CC your vlogs. The few paragraphs you wrote are great to help me have greater understanding - but would DEEPLY enjoy seeing all of what you've said in your 14 min. Vlog :-)

Peace... Connie

[Liddy81]

Beautiful! Articulate and INCLUSIVE.

[Liddy81]

Beautiful! Articulate and INCLUSIVE.

[shyandcute91]

You are "ASL"!!!! and no one can take,change, or manipulate that. YOU OWN ASL, YOU ARE ASL.. and ASL is beautiful in all its shapes, sizes, genders, sexuality, backgrounds, experiences and so forth. This is what makes you who you are, ASL! Not being Deaf of Hearing (these are characteristics of you being a person) ASL IS YOU!

I actually wanted to sign all this.. but i think my ASL looks funny on camera.. anywho.. hope this is a helpful "solution", idea to this awesome discussion.

ASL forever!

[shyandcute91]

I was a student at George Brown College and we actually discussed the notion of being identified as an ASL community. Being identified as an ASL community will diminish most of the barriers within the community. You are no longer focusing on hearing but the language, and we all understand that language encompasses CULTURE,HISTORY, TRADITION, IDENTITY( which seems to be the biggest issue) and is inclusive to all ( D/deaf, Hard of hearing, Deafened, K/S/Codas, even Hearing (signers).

[shyandcute91]

Why not use the concept on an ASL community rather than the community being based on the concept of a physical ability/ disability? The issue at hand is the simple factor of the terms D/deaf, hard of hearing, and C/Koda, Soda and so forth. All these terms are in relation to ones ability or inability to hear.

[CodacMoments]

Well stated. The idea of 'ethnicity' was something new to me the first time you mentioned it, but the more I thought about it and reflected on life experiences, and now watching the video relating the things children experience growing up, I'm convinced of the concept. I've heard it explained that the culture codas belong to is the place where hearing and Deaf overlap, which makes for a very small culture/community. Really cool vlog.

[AphroditeCathryn]

Well said. Two thumbs up! :)

[DeafbookTv]

Yes! I have always like the idea of just one big unity of "D" get rid of lil d! Good vlog! Hope your message gonna be domino effect!

[AjWitteborg]

Thanks bro, I've experienced this a lot from people that sometimes don't realize they are being audists. Its has always turned me off when the first thing brought to the conversation is whether I'm hearing or deaf....I'm not always sure how to respond to this. usually I'll say I'm big D deaf and they ask again "so you cant hear".

I agree that this is something that needs to be brought to light and talked about.

Thank you for putting words to my feelings!

[therealgoober]

Excellent! Couldn't stop watching. You bring up so many great points in the most endearing way.

I also never got the whole "hearing babies learning to sign while the deaf babies have to learn orally" mentality. It makes absolutely no sense.

[natty4ever]

My friends and I at Gally were discussing this a few days ago!

[AzaliaCoda]

Thank you explain my feelings for over 30 years! Well said!

[HappytoSign]

My Deaf friend came out with a new term for is that are hearing and related to Deaf culture. We are called Deafians. The term and definition actually accepted by online resource that he recently submitted to was accepted.

[4tubegal]

I know...all of us in my family - Deaf, HoH, Hearing but what's important how much fluent in ASL & English. I'm HoH and I'v been there, done that with mix messages from both world of D/H.

What strike me..I want my two HoH kids w/ 110% fluent in ASL but they aren't allow to participate CODA or KODA camp. To me CODA mean children of Deaf parents like myself so why not my kids be part of it but they said they belong to DEAF - only Hearing 4 CODA?

To me ASLmyHeart come first! BilingualmyMind ^_*

[Knightimehero]

Just wondering, but has the cultural model of Deafhood ever been accepted? I've seen it referenced not only in the link you provided by in Journey into the DEAF-WORLD (co-authored by Harlan Lane), Open Your Eyes, and other articles... but I don't know if it is still in transformation? Because there is established curriculum for Deaf Studies as an ethnic group- yet why is it still debated if academia is in support?

[limdaf]

I do understand how your feel experience life . I had a lot experience hurt behind in my life felt alone never knew about 100% deaf culture until age 19 because i grow up went to public school with deaf program teacher never teach us full deaf culture until in high school we know nothing at all..I didn't know about CODA it very interest to me . I can speak voice and ASL also SLM (Sign Language Mexican) feel all involved share culture nothing wrong with it or none judge .

[MitesMice]

I agree with you! It's a big issue inside Deaf society that we need to change our attitude and our face then our perspective of Deaf will change for the better.

[ericas46]

I also read "Deaf as an Ethnicity" and it was awesome! I agree that if Deafness was considered an ethnicity and ASL was used with ALL Deaf babies from day one Deaf education in this country would be flourishing and we would have no need for SSI help for Deaf people as they would be self-confident, independent , and well educated in 2 languages! Deaf education in the USA is failing Deaf children because ASL is not taught to them from day one. Deaf people can accomplish anything with ASL!

[ericas46]

Awesome! so true and eloquently stated! I am a hearing ASL teacher and I LOVE CODA's in my class. I have had CODA's and SODA's and friends of Deaf so they are immersed in Deaf culture from day one and I welcome all of their input. No amount of degrees or interpreting certs can ever make me more knowledgable than those who have LIVED it. I had no Deaf friends or family growing up and came onto ASL in high school so any personal life experiences are always encouraged and sought out! Thanks!!!

[heeheeluck]

Hey dude I posted this vlog at Deafhood.us! Your explained so loud and clear! Thank you make this vlog! 

[rosyrose7]

I have experienced that too @coda8810, and I was the Deaf student in the ASL class, the teacher kind of ignored my experiences with being in the Deaf community... also I think the reason why ideas aren't shared and aren't as open is because no one taught them how, or everyone had such different learning experiences it's hard to come out of that shell and rise to a new level, but chance is inevitable and it needs to happen eventually.

[dkash0121]

great can u please put the last video up of interpreting the song because youtube took it down

[coda8810]

(cont)... I've dealt with it multiple times, but it's just another example of someone who lives in the Deaf culture being counted not credible because of the amount of dB we're able to hear..

[coda8810]

Agreed 100%! Strange enough, I have experienced hearing ASL teachers who have put an arm up over things I have to offer. Because of my hearing ability (not my being part of the Deaf culture) they shoo me away. Them claiming they've studied ASL and Deaf culture is apparently better than someone living in it. And the problem is: they think they're better than us CODAs (or at least from my experiences). (cont)....