Norm Crosby Quotes

I know deaf people. I have discussed the issues with them I've also thought about them a lot so I have some insights that go a little further than people who haven't had contact with the deaf community.

I tell people that if I'm ignoring them, chances are I may not have heard them. I depend on hearing aids, but I've not found it a problem. I'm visually very aware!

I always say deafness is a silent disability: you can't see, and it's not life-threatening, so it has to touch your life in some way in order for it to be on your radar.

I live my life like everyone else; everyone has their own obstacles. Mine is deafness.

I've always wanted to write a book relating my experiences growing up as a deaf child in Chicago. Contrary to what people might think, it wasn't all about hearing aids and speech classes or frustrations.

I know what it's like to be growing up, called 'deaf and mute' and 'deaf and dumb.' They're words that are very degrading and demeaning to people who are deaf and hard of hearing. It's almost... it's almost libelous, if you want to say that.

I didn't know anything was wrong with me when I was growing up. I thought everyone went to occupational and speech therapy, I thought these were common things. I thought I was quite normal until I went to school and someone told me it wasn't normal to have a disability.

I think the biggest misconception is that people think deaf people are not able to do things.

People who are deaf or hard of hearing need all the support we can give them.

Am I complaining about my deafness? No, I am not.

I'm not a deaf musician. I'm a musician who happens to be deaf.

Anytime I do a movie or a TV show, I make them aware of my hearing loss at the beginning, and that makes it much easier for all of us to communicate and get the job done.

The deaf community and the hearing community, there's not always a ton of interaction.

I actually then went on to direct an after-school special where one of the characters was deaf. They hired me without even knowing I had any connection to the community.

'Mosaic' is about what we see and what we don't see. I learned how people can develop other senses to compensate for a missing one when I was a child. My best friend, Carol, who is profoundly deaf, saved me from an approaching car that she 'heard' when I didn't.

… a blind man talking to a group of deaf people

When people have hearing loss, I think they often take that burden and pass it on to their friends and family, and we make them scream and yell at us so we can hear! But I think it's better to take responsibility and wear hearing aids!

I don't think many people stare at people in wheelchairs because we see it regularly. I suppose if you see more in the media it will take away the curiosity.

I've had versions of disability my whole life, first with my hearing and then when I couldn't walk for over a year.

I was very shy. I didn't really hang around with hearing people very much. Mostly I had deaf friends.

When I lost my hearing, my mom got a deaf mentor to come into the home.

With the right support, a deaf child can do exactly the same as a hearing child, yet constantly, they're being failed.

I grew up with deaf teachers, and I thought all deaf children should have exposure to deaf educators.

I've seen the needless struggles that deaf children and deaf people face, and that gave me the impetus to write.

I have no problem with how people communicate. But I think it's important... for everyone to be open to learn sign language.