The controversy over cochlear implants, and other hearing aids, has been on the table for a number of years, with one side arguing about the damage implants cause culturally versus the other arguing the life-changing benefits these implants have. It’s difficult to understand the first group’s claim when you are not deaf or hard of hearing, but it’s also difficult not to take it into account. How could cochlear implants, an invention that aids deaf and hard of hearing individuals with interpreting sound, possibly be immoral?
According to the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), “An implant is not a ‘cure’ and an implanted individual is still deaf,” which makes us realize the crux of the issue. Those who are deaf and hard of hearing consider these disabilities to be aspects of their identities. By using the cochlear implant, they are essentially killing a piece of themselves that they’ve lived with from the day they were born. Then there’s also the issue of whether or not it’s right to give the cochlear implant to children.
The deaf community has adopted American Sign Language (ASL) as their own mode of communication as it’s difficult to properly form verbal speech without one’s sense of hearing working in tandem. When it comes to deaf and hard of hearing children, parents with the same disability are conflicted. Why should their child have to live with a cochlear implant, when they can communicate with them just fine? These parents fear that their children might not want to learn ASL at all.
Also, according to the NAD, “At least 90 percent of deaf and hard of hearing children are born to hearing parents who usually want their children to be like themselves, to understand sound, to use their voices and verbally express their thoughts through spoken language, and to hear the voices and spoken language of those around them,” which raises even more questions. If deafness has its own entire culture, are hearing parents contributing to this “genocide” of deaf individuals by giving their children cochlear implants?
The idea of the cochlear implant causing a cultural genocide, however, uses strong diction with a lot of weight behind it. Again, it’s difficult to understand this claim not being deaf, hard of hearing, or even a part of this community. However, looking into this group’s history could explain the fear and ire. Like any minority group, there’s not a lot of proper, respectable representation of deaf individuals in the modern world.
I do not believe it’s fair to call cochlear implants a form of cultural genocide, but I understand where the notion comes from. I know that the cochlear implant and all other hearing aids change a deaf or hard of hearing person’s life, but whether it’s for better or for worse, I have no right to say. My stance is that these individuals should look into the implantation procedure and decided what they want for themselves and for themselves alone. As for children, I leave the decision to their parents, who can always wait until their child is old enough to make choose themselves.
