I'm done saying sorry for being deaf - I want to change how society treats people like me | Liam O'Dell

When I first wore hearing aids I was ashamed of my deafness. Learning not to blame but to advocate for myself changed that "Sorry, I'm deaf," I say. I gesture to the apparatus in my ear - the universal sign for my hearing aids not working quite as well as they should, hoping the mildly annoyed waiter in front of me repeats his question with a little less visible frustration. I'm in a burrito bar trying to order dinner, but this kind of exchange can occur in any customer service scenario. Harried...