Chapter 21: Will Deaf People Sign With Hearing People They Do Not Know?

The information provided in this chapter seems rather contradictory to information I had been given previously.  I have been told before that Deaf people appreciate it when Hearing people make efforts to use ASL and that they are, for the most part, more than happy to help beginners improve with ASL.  This chapter, however, made it seem like you should only interact with them in certain situations and not take it to heart if they do not want to sign with you...rather conflicting messages.  I can certainly see where it would be interpreted as insulting to be treated as if you cannot do anything on your own.  I suppose it is just a tricky situation.  The only opportunities I have had to interact with Deaf people in public (not at a deaf event) were before I had started taking ASL.  I work as a host at Cracker Barrel and a group of four Deaf people came in once.  When I greeted them they all started signing the same thing, what I now know to be WE DEAF WE.  At the time I did not understand what they were saying.  We just gestured and smiled to communicate and we did just fine without someone interpreting.  The Deaf people I have communicated with since beginning to learn ASL at Deaf Culture Events seemed more than happy to help me increase my vocabulary and communication skills.  I would say it is mostly a matter of context and the personality of the Deaf individual.