Candace
asked
Cece Bell:
Are there times now, as an adult, that you still struggle with insecurities about your handicap? Assuming you no longer envision yourself as "El Deafo" in order to deal with it, how have your coping mechanisms evolved?
Cece Bell
YES.
But a lot less since writing the book. I think I was finally ready to say, Hey World. I'm deaf, or hard of hearing, or whatever else you want to call it. And I'm doing just fine. But could you please repeat that?
Most of my coping mechanisms over the years have been based on the concept of "faking it." If I don't understand what someone is saying (especially if that someone is a person who I don't know very well or have just met), I will use that person's body language and any other clues to try to figure out what that person is saying. This sometimes works! But more often it goes like this:
New Someone: Can I kick you in the pants?
Me, sounding chipper: Yes, OK!
NS: [Looks confused.]
Wouldn't it be easier to just say, "Uh, I have trouble hearing. Could you please repeat that?" And I'm finally more and more able to do just that.
BUT. The problem with this is that sometimes, when you tell New Someone that you are deaf/hoh/wear hearing aids/etc., that person might totally CHANGE...and then over-enunciate, or start signing (I still don't know sign like I wish I did), etc. New Someone is usually very well-meaning, but I can't explain it...it just feels sad and awkward and is a situation that I try to avoid. Hence the faking it...which once again, has its problems (see above).
But I'm getting better at this!
The other insecurity, which is alleviated somewhat by smart phones, is that I am terrified of getting stuck in an elevator or a bathroom, because if I get stuck, how in heck am I gonna communicate with the person on the other side to get me out of there so I can join him or her in Freedomville? But now, if I have my cell phone with me in one of these tight spaces, I kind of feel like I could text Tom or my mom and say, OMG I'm STUCK IN AN ELEVATOR AND GET ME OUT OF HERE AAAAAHHHHHHH! Well, I can do this in a bathroom...but still am unable to do elevators by myself. Steps are my friends. They keep me svelte...and they lead to Freedomville.
More information than you expected, eh?
But a lot less since writing the book. I think I was finally ready to say, Hey World. I'm deaf, or hard of hearing, or whatever else you want to call it. And I'm doing just fine. But could you please repeat that?
Most of my coping mechanisms over the years have been based on the concept of "faking it." If I don't understand what someone is saying (especially if that someone is a person who I don't know very well or have just met), I will use that person's body language and any other clues to try to figure out what that person is saying. This sometimes works! But more often it goes like this:
New Someone: Can I kick you in the pants?
Me, sounding chipper: Yes, OK!
NS: [Looks confused.]
Wouldn't it be easier to just say, "Uh, I have trouble hearing. Could you please repeat that?" And I'm finally more and more able to do just that.
BUT. The problem with this is that sometimes, when you tell New Someone that you are deaf/hoh/wear hearing aids/etc., that person might totally CHANGE...and then over-enunciate, or start signing (I still don't know sign like I wish I did), etc. New Someone is usually very well-meaning, but I can't explain it...it just feels sad and awkward and is a situation that I try to avoid. Hence the faking it...which once again, has its problems (see above).
But I'm getting better at this!
The other insecurity, which is alleviated somewhat by smart phones, is that I am terrified of getting stuck in an elevator or a bathroom, because if I get stuck, how in heck am I gonna communicate with the person on the other side to get me out of there so I can join him or her in Freedomville? But now, if I have my cell phone with me in one of these tight spaces, I kind of feel like I could text Tom or my mom and say, OMG I'm STUCK IN AN ELEVATOR AND GET ME OUT OF HERE AAAAAHHHHHHH! Well, I can do this in a bathroom...but still am unable to do elevators by myself. Steps are my friends. They keep me svelte...and they lead to Freedomville.
More information than you expected, eh?
More Answered Questions
Shannon Holbrook
asked
Cece Bell:
Hello Cece, I'm a reading teacher at the Sheehan School in Westwood, MA. Your book El Deafo has been the hot book this year at our school. All the 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders have been borrowing it from our literacy library. I even did a 5th grade girls' book club with El Deafo. The girls loved it so much, they wanted to write you a letter. We sent it the publisher in Oct., and we're wondering if you received it?
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