I'll preface this article with the disclaimer that I am not completely deaf, but I am Hard of Hearing and a member of the Deaf community, which is something separate from being deaf.

Dear Hearing World,

I am Hard of Hearing. I wear hearing aids. I am not less than you because of this. I am neither hearing impaired nor am I Deaf and dumb. In fact, these terms are very offensive, and not just to me. These terms are seen as offensive throughout the Deaf community.

Let me explain the difference between deaf and Deaf because there is a difference. Little 'd' means that someone is simply lacking the ability to hear, where the big 'D' means being a member of the community of people who practice or are learning sign in order to communicate despite having little to no hearing in their ears. The differences may seem small, but they mean more than it seems.

This community does not want your pity or your shares of exciting videos about people getting cochlear implants. Sure, these things are absolutely wonderful and inspiring! These videos, however, do not mean all of us want cochlear implants or hearing aids. These things are a choice for the person who lacks hearing. They are not absolutely necessary, not to mention these things never sound the same as hearing through your ears. Things can sound robotic or chaotic and sometimes people never learn to cope with the implants.

Humans can live a full and vibrant life without hearing everything there is to hear. Yes, it may sound impossible to those of you who are hearing, but to us it isn't. Communication isn't solely spoken. Communication can be written or signed. Sure, the world is a hearing dominated place where it's hard to be heard over those who try to speak for you and can't understand. The hearing world is massive, but the Deaf world coincides with it.

Let the person in your life whose ears aren't at your standards decide what they want with their life. Let them decide whether they want that cochlear implant or those shiny new hearing aids. Let them decide whether they want to learn sign, read lips (which is much harder than it seems) or write their communication.

We are completely capable of making these decisions for ourselves.

We are not broken because we can't hear to full capacity of the average human body.

We are not unable to exist without hearing.

We are people.

Please accept that not everyone in the world wants to hear the way you do. Please accept that we exist. Please do not judge us or say "oh wow you talk so well for a deaf person!" It's offensive.

Deaf people want to be treated like everyone else. We want to be treated like we matter and aren't broken, because we are human. I would not trade the world to hear completely because being Hard of Hearing makes me who I am and many deaf people in the world believe this way.

Accept that we exist as we are. Accept that we are here. Do not shut us out because we can't hear you speak. We simply want to be included in the conversation.

Sincerely,

Your Deaf and Hard of Hearing friends.