When understanding deaf etiquette, there’s a shortlist of words that you can and can’t say, as some words may come across as rude:
DON’TS
Mute, deafmute, or pipi (pronounced pee-peh) in tagalog – Being deaf does not automatically mean mute, deaf people have a voice and they can use them.
Deaf and dumb – Being deaf does not automatically mean being dumb
Handicapped – Implies an illness or an injury that must be “cured”, deafness is not an illness or an injury
And Hearing impaired – Works similar to handicap, it was a popular medical term in the 70s but has since fallen out of favor
DO’S
Deaf or bingi – Deaf with a small d, this is generally accepted as a term to refer to someone with hearing loss.
Deaf – Deaf with a capital D refers to the deaf community.
Hard of Hearing – Is also accepted as a term but do note this is a separate community from the Deaf community
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The deaf people also have their own unique identities, but a few common characteristics can be denoted:
The deaf are very visual – they are a lot more perceptive of their surroundings
The deaf are very expressive – they use large exaggerated movements and facial expressions
The deaf are very direct – they are straightforward as appearances and visuals often leaves them with big impressions, this is not done with any negative tone but the deaf are just usually blunt
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Lastly, here are some tips to better interact with the Deaf.
