The awareness thing and labelling oneself is difficult.
I think the sunflower lanyards really came into their own in the pandemic when disabled people exempt masks wanted to fend off criticism, but I rather suspect (and have no proof) that quite a few of the sunflower lanyards worn where I am are worn by people who may not be exempt, and quite a few people who might benefit from some sort of official exemption badge, if such existed, don't see virtue in the sunflower lanyard to stop aggro.
That being said, a checkout assistant at a local supermarket wears one and seems to find it very helpful at getting customers to understand he has some difficulties/differences. I don't pretend to know what underlies them, but they revolve around a sort of lack of interaction. Seeing the lanyard seems to help customers to register that what they're not encountering is grumpiness or hostility or indifference.
So it's context.
I'll admit I've come close to wearing a 'deaf, please speak loudly' badge and these days it's probably at least once on each shopping trip that I'll take a hearing aid out and lift it up saying, with a grin that shows round my eyes, something like "I shan't be offended if you shout at me."
When my ataxia was bad, I used to go everywhere with a sign on my back and signs all round my trolley (used as mobility aid - better than any of my collection of different wheely walkers). The difference they made was amazing. People being so much more careful, and if I did get accidentally knocked over, people being so much more understanding. Why should that be? Well, I don't look like a 'fragile oldie', I don't have a walking stick, and I'm very adept at falling safely (i.e. crumpling softly) so before I started labelling myself, I had to put up with accusations of having faked it. I'm not joking. People shouting at me and about me, especially in shops, assuming I was trying it on to be able to sue someone.
So I think if you label yourself, it depends on things like where you are and what you're trying to achieve with the labelling.
I find the issue of people labelling what they are in the way of what I'll call 'out and proud' is a question of context, and probably more relevant to youngsters when they're going through the demonstrate about everything phase (which actually I value). I there are also contexts where people are being outed by others or recognised by others as belonging to a particular minority or disadvantaged group and turn it round by being overt about it so that people can't derive satisfaction from outing them.
A very difficult balance, to say when you're different when you want to, but not to feel obliged to.
Now to display my ignorance - what's a censor checker?
Oh, forgot, flashing doorbells - useless if people are going to ring your bell to talk, but useful if you're expecting a delivery of something. I noticed 'visitors by appointment only' stickers on people's doors and got one myself. I get very, very few unsolicited visits since I put that up. I rather think, though, that the effectiveness of that sort of thing varies a lot.
Something my parents had on their door for a while when there were too many door-to-door tradesmen was a sign that looked like it was institutional and said something like "All enquiries should be made to head office. Staff and residents are not able to agree to works being done on the property or items being purchased." I.e. "This is some sort of small care home or supported housing, we don't need you to tarmac the drive/cut the trees/fix the roof, so bog off."
Anyway, I don't have a flashing doorbell here but did before. Evidently I didn't find it too useful or I'd have one here, wouldn't I?
The censor checker was strange (Your spell checker), it locates an 'offensive' word in the middle of another word. I typed 'G.R.A.S.S', and A.S.S. ( the animal), and it was viewed porn or something lol I will try C.O.C.K.A.T.O.O. and see why happens lol.
Yes 'labelling is some desperate attempt to buy into the ID issues some deaf people have or even hearing who acquire deafness have when they struggle to fit back in with what they knew. 'Born again deaf' etc probably the worst culprits. Initially, I used to nod sagely and then patronise via 'Whatever you think you are, why not?' thing, but it all got out of hand and got very silly and I lost patience with it as various campaigners skewed the whole thing and made some sort of cult of it.
Awareness of NEED and support was replaced with an awareness of ID, human rights took a fair hammering so needs to be re-written as a result so we can insert a clause with 'Common sense only please..' in it. The mantra even replaced what formats of communication were THE essential component of being deaf, then it became discrimination officially recognised and backed up with the cultural ace card, placing image 'power' and communication support, in the hands of loony tune extremes in the deaf community, who by and large are the most able to profit by it.
THEY have access, have effective communication, have a wage telling everyone OTHERS are going without, but neglecting to show their part in hindering it all. The deaf community works only in relative Isolation and if it can operate in parallel with the mainstream, so inclusion is a hot potato with them as this undermines the social system they have. 90% of the rows are about how they mismanage that problem.
Anyone suggesting bilingualism is a must, gets short shrift because they want deaf education to be monlingual aka sign only basically. All this feeds back to poor inclusion and anger at a system that will never be designed to adopt BSL as a norm. Having waged the virtual 'war' against the nonsense and impracticalities, not least there are no teachers of the deaf or signs to enable what they ask for, or, are even being trained to run a BSL curriculum it is sheer frustration really.
If you were a migrant e.g. you would be acutely aware of the need to learn a language of the country you enter, or you can't work effectively etc, the deaf sit it out demanding the system adapts to them, that is the difference. Deaf say we have a disability, it is not the same..' but online they are at pains to suggest they don't have a disability, it's just hearing people being nasty to them. Even myself looking at previous posts I made found I had typed 'Deaf and Disabled' so the promotion seems pretty effective that disabled are from Mars and Deaf from Venus etc.
I also think the disabled are no match for the deaf too. Their unity is to be envied their expertise second to none in some communication areas, which just tends to reinforce the fact their messages are a bit 'too clever' and thought out, it works on the basis if you tell a lie often enough at some point it will be seen as truth. The ideal behind it is that old chestnut control really.
I used to be really worried about it, but on the ground and at street level deaf youth are not buying into it. The fact clubs and culture is relatively unsupported by young people means they are moving outwards and benefitting from that, the old deaf community was designed around a system where the deaf could not do that, inevitably it must fall to advances. Progress, in short, deaf don't feel being isolated and restricted to only each other is what they want, nor do they want to tie themselves down to sign language but learn alternatives. They want and use bilingual options where they can.
The doorbell thing, the point was that knowing someone is there doesn't help me communicate to whoever is. The point I also made about lanyards, badges and dogs etc. Few are very effective communicators. It may tell people you have an issue it doesn't tell others what they need to do to help. Again an 'ID' thing more than anything, at least the autism and diabetic bracelets give info as well, unless you forget to wear them lol OK I wear a lanyard and need to lip-read, that takes no account most are rubbish lip-speakers.
