I am losing my hearing as we speak, I have been for the last few years. 100 % loss in the right and over 65% in my left and I am hearing aid assisted in my left???and I am 49 years old so I have experience on both sides.. And is my take on the subject. ..As a person with a hearing disability it is a hidden disability if I stood in line with you you wouldn't unless you attempted to converse with me, we might struggle to find our communication style but it can be done. There are laws and finances set aside to aid our ability to coexist with the hearing. Because we have a disability. I have no problem with the label disabled because I am a machine made by god that has May working parts if I have a defective part I cannot run as smooth as I was made to be therefore I am disabled.now as for treatment by other able body people are just plain rude selfish inconsiderate to those with the hearing disability.... I hate it when you tell me I have to pay attention .... Or "you are not going to repeat your self that would giving me special treatment."( really?!?!?! ) ... Would you tell a person in a wheelchair come on push that chair harder or tell a blind person once you gone this that you cannot you the cane again....but you will tell me to listen harder (for real I have been told this by educated teachers I am going to school to learn sign language) or "all you need is your brain to make you ears work right I say yes you have a brain again I say yes they then say then use your brain you can hear if you want to.". They wouldn't tell a amputee to think legs and you will be legs. If I didn't hear or understand something I will ask for a repeat this could save my life or inform me of a change in travel plans. Or harmful weather is coming and you need to get to safety... Oh and while on the subject I am losing my hearing UNTIL then do not put in a a world of no sounds or expect me to be utterly silent I want to hear everything I can before I am unable to so please talk to me, don't shut me out I still want to have human connections so to get to the end here ...I have learned since beginning to lose my hearing the the human race is very very very very very very very mean and selfish. yes as disabled person we do have a need for be treated special for certain reasons for the rest we can be treated just like the rest of you with kindness and love and consideration...