“You act like a hearing person”
The above comment is considered offensive coming from a culturally deaf person yet it’s considered a “compliment” coming from a hearing person.
I never know how to react when someone tells me that. Is it a positive or a negative comment?
Life Is About Creating Yourself 
As a hearing person, (parent of a DHOH child), I'd consider it a compliment. It's a bit brash to say, but coming from a hearing person it means you've done a great job of learning how to communicate verbally despite an obvious hinderance to verbal communication. It's a compliment to all the hard work you've obvioiusly put in.
So if a hearing person say "you act like a deaf person" is that considered offensive? (When a hearing person compliment how hearing you act, it make me think that they are thinking "THANK GOODNESS YOU DON'T SOUND and ACT DEAF!" I think it offensive all around no matter who say it.
It's meant a sort of a derogatory comment. Kind of like a black person telling another black person that you're "acting white." In fact, I did a blog about that "Acting like a hearing person."
@barbWhat about other oral-only deaf people who worked just as hard and still get told they speak funny? maybe they have severe profound loss and grew up with HAs and not CI. They worked twice as hard. Are you saying they are not doing a great job because they don't sound like a hearing person enough? you have to be careful because it can be offensive no matter who say it.
🙂 we cannot control what people say…just be ourselves and have fun in our life!
Unless it's intentionally offensive (i.e. from a Deaf (capital 'D') person), it's a compliment.I know. 🙂