Things To Never Say to Deaf People

People are prone to making all sorts of rude, insensitive comments towards people they perceive as "different" — as we've seen again and again and again. And, as YouTuber Rikki Poynter observes in her video "Shit Hearing People Say," deaf and hard of hearing people are certainly not immune to insensitive — and sometimes just nonsensical — comments. People suck, OK? They just suck.

They are also pretty dumb. I mean, among the comments that Poynter says she's heard is apparently the assertion that she's "too pretty to be deaf." I just facepalmed so hard I might have actually injured something. I mean, guys, I understand that we live in a society that frames people with any sort of perceived disability — be it physical or mental — as somehow undesirable or other or alien, but that doesn't mean you have to buy into what is plainly nonsense.

And unfortunately, that isn't even the most disturbing comment Pynter has received.

For those who are unaware, the Deaf community, both in America and in many other countries, is a vibrant culture with its own language and history and norms. The idea that deaf people are somehow to be looked down upon is ridiculous and insulting. So before anyone decides to make any of these idiotic comments, maybe next time they can please do the homework. Because that would be nice.