You're Welcome, Universe Quotes

“I might be burning bridges, but they're my bridges to burn.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“I'm sure she goes home and talks to whatever friends she has about how brave I am. I didn't choose to be deaf. I have no idea why it makes me brave.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“My old art teacher told me I draw like a man. I've never forgiven him. I don't draw like anything, I draw like everything. I draw like me.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“I want to feel breath on my ears. They aren't dead. They can still feel.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“Casey doesn’t know why I was expelled, but she’s on a mission to “improve my quality of life.” I’m sure she goes home and talks to whatever friends she has about how brave I am. I didn’t choose to be deaf. I have no idea why it makes me brave.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“I’m not better than friends, I want better friends. I want friends who are all in, all the time. It can’t just be all on your terms. You have to care, care about more than just yourself.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“People put so much emphasis on music when I tell them I’m Deaf—like, without it, my life must not be as rich or full as theirs. Or they tell me to watch videos of people signing “Imagine.” Barf. It’s the same sort of shitty comment that YP let fly last night. It’s either pity or fascination.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“It isn’t about seeing my art on a wall. It’s about putting a feeling out into the world. It’s communication, a release.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“I’ve debated wearing my old hearing aids so I could better sense someone approaching, but I refuse. I get through every day without them; I’m not going to “cheat” and put them on when it’s convenient.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“They make reading lips look so easy on TV: every deaf character has absolutely perfect lip-reading superpowers. But in reality it’s inaccurate, and exhausting. Not all of us are good at it. People don’t get that.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“Every time someone offers to learn ASL, they bail. They realize that it’s actually a whole language and give up when it gets hard. Suddenly I’m not so fascinating anymore and they move on to some other obsession. It makes me miss Jordyn, and Kingston for that matter. Just being able to talk without having to figure out some workaround. Jordyn and I would sit up and talk until my fingers hurt.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“My old art teacher told me I draw like a man. I’ve never forgiven him. I don’t draw like anything, I draw like everything. I draw like me.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“Ah, she knows the same signs every other hearing kindergartner learns. She’s looking for her gold star, no doubt. I beam at her, and sign back happily, “Bitch. You don’t. Know me.” She gives me a thumbs-up and goes back to her work.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“I want to make art that makes my heart race. Art that demands to be felt, even if that feeling is terror.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“I didn’t choose to be deaf. I have no idea why it makes me brave.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“Ah, she knows the same signs every other hearing kindergartner learns. She's looking for her gold star, no doubt. I beam at her, and sign back happily, "Bitch. You don't. Know me." She gives me a thumbs-up and goes back to her work.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“I'm sure she goes home and talks to whatever friends she has about how brave I am. I didn't choose to be deaf. I have no idea why it makes me brave.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“stands in the window with his little headset on, grimacing at people who think they have to scream into the intercom. At least that’s one thing I understand; Jordyn,”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“There’s only a million more things I wanted to say to him. Or, you know, have an actual conversation. But that’s all I get with hearies. Hi. Bye. Thumbs up, thumbs down. Head nod. Friend, family, etc.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“People find out I’m deaf and think that yelling at me is the cure. I’ve seen Jordyn switch off her CI mid-conversation with that same pinched face. Rude, but less painful, I’m sure.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“There’s always a moment when one of these kids asks me a question and I have to figure out if speaking is worth the risk. I cross my arms. “You—--aint—my bum—r!” he rages. It’s not easy to lip-read when people are yelling at you. Despite what the distorted-face yeller might actually think.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“I don't rack paint either, even though some writers would say that doesn't make me legit. I'm not a thief, I'm a vandal. That's why I work at Mickey D's: I buy my own supply.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe

“Fries go in, fries come out. Fries go in, fries come out. Small, regular, large, extra-large. Fries go in, fries come out. Sweat drips down my back, my chest burning hot. I try not to scald my forearms when people slam into me, rushing between stations. Fries go in, fries come out. I am the siren call of McDonald's: smell the fries, you cannot resist. You want the fries. You need the fries, I hate the fries. I am the fries. Fries go in, fries come out.”
― Whitney Gardner, You're Welcome, Universe