How to Ask a Deaf Person on a Date

Asking someone who is deaf out on a date can be a nerve wracking and confusing situation, especially if you’ve never spent any time around a deaf person. You’ll probably wonder how to approach the person and how to suggest a date. Asking a deaf person for a date doesn’t have to be any more stressful than asking out a person with perfect hearing. There are multiple ways you can ask without feeling awkward doing so.

Things You'll Need

• American Sign Language handbook
• Email
• Computer
• Pen
• Paper

Instructions

Dating a Deaf Person

1. Learn a few things in sign language and ask the person out on a date using what you’ve learned. You can take classes, ask a sign language teacher for help or even find the American Sign Language handbook and learn on your own. Make sure to let the person know that you’re just learning.

2. Talk to the person just as you would anyone else because many deaf people can read lips and will know what you’re saying. If this is someone you know fairly well, or someone you’ve seen around before, then you might already know that she can read lips.

3. Contact the person through email if you know her email address. She can read exactly what you’re trying to say.

4. Write down a few words on a piece of paper and pass it to the person, even if you just want to ask if she can read lips. It gets the ball rolling and helps you figure out how to best approach the situation. You can even ask the person out just by writing it down on a piece of paper for her to read.

5. Approach the person in a calm and friendly manner and ask if she knows anywhere you can take a sign language class or if she can recommend a book for beginners. The person might realize that you’re trying to hit on them and you can judge her reaction to see if they’re interested.

Tips & Warnings

• Don’t be surprised if she turns you down. Just because she's deaf doesn’t mean that she isn't attracted to certain types and you might not be her type.