Directness does not mean rudeness
- Often deaf people are judged as rude because of the cultural norm to start a conversation with the topic of discussion- no dilly-dallying around
- Hearing people often this directness as rude and blunt
- In hearing culture telling someone they look tired or have gained weight could be considered really rude and often people will say it a round about way or just not at all
- In the deaf world, telling someone these things about their appearance show that you have noticed a change and that you care about them and their wellbeing
- Being direct about things could show your concern for another’s health, mental and physical, or could be that you don’t want them to embarrass themselves with an outfit that doesn’t suit them
- All of these things show the care that deaf people show towards others in the community
This video by deaf entrepreneur, Lisa Mills, explains how being direct is not rude: