“Is He Being Thoughtful or Overstepping? A Woman’s Dilemma as Boyfriend Mastery of ASL Sparks Outrage Among Friends”
Some sources suggest that, as of 2014, roughly 3% of the adult population in the US were ASL users. Enabling the deaf and hard-of-hearing community—as well as hearing people who choose to learn it for one reason or another—to communicate easier, American sign language was created in the early 1800s. Its history started with Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a minister from Hartford, Connecticut, who went to Europe to learn educational methods from several accomplished deaf educators there. Upon returning to the US, he established a school that is now known as the American School for the Deaf.
In an interview with Bored Panda, the OP shared that after reading about Jon’s gesture, numerous members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing community reached out to her. “People have been reaching out to me saying how much they appreciated Jon’s efforts for my brother, and it would most likely be something my brother would never forget. Some people even offered to give Jon free ASL lessons.
“I’m just so glad that this issue has brought to light the importance of learning ASL and being inclusive, and that everyone should see individuals with disabilities as actual human beings who are just as capable of achieving more given the right opportunities,” she said.
The online community’s response made the woman wonder if she should trust her gut more
Image credits: Brock Wegner/Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Talking about her friends’ views towards Jon and their reaction to him learning ASL, the redditor admitted being unsure why they reacted the way that they did. “None of them have met Jon except my guy best friend. They met the same day Jon first met my family during my mom’s birthday. The three of us had breakfast at a diner, then Jon even offered to foot the entire bill. I thought we had a great time, so I don’t know what made my best friend suddenly turn on Jon.”
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