Stereotype or reality?

I can accept that having a certain disability might, by isolating you from others who don't, and by the shared experiences of others who do, give rise to a "culture."

I can accept that people of certain cultures can have common characteristics. Some cultures might value education; others feats of bravado. Thus, persons who have these characteristics would tend to thrive and multiply in this culture, as opposed to people who don't.

But I felt very uncomfortable and something in me raised a red flag when a certain person recently gave me some advice.

Sweetie and I have befriended a Woman who is hearing-impaired. Hearing impaired persons definitely have their own language, their own culture. Like any culture, it has its controversial elements, such as, in some members, resentment towards other members who use lip reading and speak instead of sticking totally to sign language.

Sweetie and I are taking this hearing-impaired person grocery shopping tonight, since She doesn't drive.

The advice that I was given was to beware because if "you give a hearing-impaired person an inch, they will take a mile." In other words, we should expect to be asked to do much more for Her than an occassional grocery trip.

No.

I refuse to believe that being hearing-impaired has any connection to a person acting that way, anymore than if they were Swedish, Baptist or Canadian.