With a Little Knowledge of ASL, Now what?
Help! I see Deaf People!
So now that you have some knowledge of ASL and Deaf Culture, you will begin to notice more Deaf people around you. Yes, they have always been there; you are just now becoming aware of them. You may be thinking to yourself, “Self….what do I do?! Do I approach them? Do I casually wave as I walk by? Do I run!?”
Relax, Deaf people rank among the nicest, most accepting people I have ever met. This isn’t to say that ALL Deaf people are wonderful, but as a whole, they are a wonderful group to be around.
So, what DO you do? My suggestion is to remember that just like you and I, these are people. They are not superheroes, they are not celebrities, they are people with lives and families. With that understanding, first observe what they are doing. Are they arguing with unruly children? Are they on a date? Are they in a hurry? If it is not something that you would want to be interrupted by a stranger while doing, then I would suggest going about your own business. If they seem as though they are not busy or in a hurry, it would be fine to nicely approach them, introduce yourself, and explain that you are learning ASL. Yes, it really is that simple