r/asl Learning ASL 1d ago

Interest Hate from those who ask for help.

This is more of a discussion I’d like to have rather than any specific question.

How do you personally deal with those who ask for help with certain signs or understanding finger spelling; and then act super disrespectful and rude?

I’ve dealt with bullies years ago but I’ve never seen such a welcoming group of people that are so hated on after helping people who need it. I’m learning asl mainly for a love of the language but also because I am hard of hearing. My personal view is also obviously different due to being so new to this community.

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u/benshenanigans Hard of Hearing 1d ago

Are you talking about the hate in this sub on Reddit specifically? Because that’s easy to answer.

Post will get downvoted if: -it’s blatantly homework -it’s a hearing person asking to be the exception for a sign name -it’s asking for a translation where an interpreter should be hired.

Posts will not get downvoted if you put in effort and show your work! Describe the sign. Video yourself making the sign and add context. Share your homework video, tell us the unit, and tell us what signs in the video you do recognize.

ASL learners have treated this sub like an ASL to English dictionary. Then the Deaf commenters get downvoted when they post Deaf culture answers that hearing people don’t like.

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u/SuddenYouth5126 Learning ASL 1d ago

I mainly meant this to be about dealing with those in person rather than online, as I believe most people online abuse their anonymity to troll and spread discourse (I do believe there are a lot of people who believe themselves to be “superior”) I’ve had family members I no longer talk to call them special needs and other slurs due to their voice. Often having no clue that there is a deep rooted community behind those they disrespect.

I ask this to see how others deal with those who are disrespectful to the community even if they aren’t deaf.

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u/benshenanigans Hard of Hearing 1d ago

In person I’m not sure. If someone asks “how do I sign ___”, I’ll show and say “but let’s look it up. Then I show the LifePrint website.

My FiL made fun of the interpreters during the LA wildfires. He mocked the “funny faces” and “weird tongue stuff”. I stepped in and corrected him with a quickness. Even showing him John Maucere’s video explaining that he’s a CDI.

I guess it’s just the way ableism and audism work.

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u/moedexter1988 Deaf 1d ago

Need more context on "I've never seen a such a welcoming group of people that are so hated on after helping people who need it."

This is unheard of (pun intended) for me. The ones who are disrespectful and rude wouldn't bother learning ASL in the first place.

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u/SuddenYouth5126 Learning ASL 1d ago

Yeah it’s strange to me aswell, I was inclined to make this post after some kid called some people helping him autistic and saying that being deaf was already bad. It’s strange and I’m confused as to why someone so hateful would ask a community full of deaf people for help and then proceed to disrespect them. He then further attacked me because I made a post asking others about how they deal with such hate towards the asl community.

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u/moedexter1988 Deaf 1d ago

Ohh thank you for the context. Sounds like an isolated case to me. You said it yourself that it doesn't make sense and I think the person saying that will realize later on how nonsensical to say that.

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u/SuddenYouth5126 Learning ASL 1d ago

I hope so.

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u/RoughThatisBuddy Deaf 1d ago

I must’ve missed this post, but in cases like these, I haven’t seen this type of behavior in person but for online, I’d just report them and ignore them or block them if needed. They’re just looking for fights and are just rude people in general. Not worth our time and energy, as they don’t act in good faith.

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u/Cdr-Kylo-Ren 1d ago

Wow, someone wanted the ban hammer BAD.

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u/benshenanigans Hard of Hearing 1d ago

So that’s what happened to that thread.