Tara Congdon responded to my earlier blog about her recent rant against Marvel Comics and Phonak in a poster campaign with Iron Man.
I agree with Tara's comment that the focus was not on Anthony Smith "The Blue Ear." What I saw was Tara's opinion of Marvel Comics' so called "intention" to push aside or attempt at "devaluing" those who cannot benefit from the use of hearing aids. I found that opinion remarkable which was why I came up with examples of Marvel Comics past characters who are deaf, especially Echo/Ronin, and not wear hearing aids and still be their "best self."
We all use technology to better ourselves with the help of hearing aids, cochlear implants, TTY, cell phone texting, captioning, CART, real time face to face communication devices, lap top computers, and so on. Anthony Smith is using his own kind of technology to be his "best self” in his own way and that is to wear his blue hearing aid.
I disagree with Tara's contention that Marvel Comics poster campaign tell others that they "are less than whole human beings in their own right" because they are unable to use a hearing aid. Ironically, if Tara had already been aware, Marvel Comics is known for their characters with varying kinds of "disabilities" such as blindness, mobility impaired, physical disfigurement, dwarfism, one-armed, deafness, and so on.
What is important is the encouragement of kids with hearing loss who can truly benefit from hearing aids to wear them and to not let other kids bully or tease them for wearing their hearing aids. It's an opportunity to educate people about hearing aids. I had to do the very same thing when I was in the 7th grade. I took the initiative to educate my peers about my hearing aids and what it can and cannot do, and my hearing loss. My hearing aid has actually helped me live better by taking advantage of what hearing loss I have left. I am able to communicate better, listen better, and enjoy better the sound and music. I agree about the transparency regarding Phonak and audiologists/healthcare professional that Tara spoke of in her article but this isn't about fitting kids who cannot benefit from hearing aids. This is about encouraging those who can and help educate people about hearing aids and hearing loss.
Read Iron Man's message of encouragement to a hard of hearing kid with a hearing aid.
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I agree with Tara's comment that the focus was not on Anthony Smith "The Blue Ear." What I saw was Tara's opinion of Marvel Comics' so called "intention" to push aside or attempt at "devaluing" those who cannot benefit from the use of hearing aids. I found that opinion remarkable which was why I came up with examples of Marvel Comics past characters who are deaf, especially Echo/Ronin, and not wear hearing aids and still be their "best self."
We all use technology to better ourselves with the help of hearing aids, cochlear implants, TTY, cell phone texting, captioning, CART, real time face to face communication devices, lap top computers, and so on. Anthony Smith is using his own kind of technology to be his "best self” in his own way and that is to wear his blue hearing aid.
I disagree with Tara's contention that Marvel Comics poster campaign tell others that they "are less than whole human beings in their own right" because they are unable to use a hearing aid. Ironically, if Tara had already been aware, Marvel Comics is known for their characters with varying kinds of "disabilities" such as blindness, mobility impaired, physical disfigurement, dwarfism, one-armed, deafness, and so on.
What is important is the encouragement of kids with hearing loss who can truly benefit from hearing aids to wear them and to not let other kids bully or tease them for wearing their hearing aids. It's an opportunity to educate people about hearing aids. I had to do the very same thing when I was in the 7th grade. I took the initiative to educate my peers about my hearing aids and what it can and cannot do, and my hearing loss. My hearing aid has actually helped me live better by taking advantage of what hearing loss I have left. I am able to communicate better, listen better, and enjoy better the sound and music. I agree about the transparency regarding Phonak and audiologists/healthcare professional that Tara spoke of in her article but this isn't about fitting kids who cannot benefit from hearing aids. This is about encouraging those who can and help educate people about hearing aids and hearing loss.
Read Iron Man's message of encouragement to a hard of hearing kid with a hearing aid.
