If someone befriends or joins a deaf community, it would be a ”functional form of communication” for them in everyday life. By your reasoning, deaf people shouldn’t learn ASL but should just stick to pen and paper to fit in with someone else’s societal norms. The idea of ASL being a “highly discouraged alternate method of communication” should be a case to case consideration. There are people on this sub who have given up all hope of ever finding a mate, having friends, a worthwhile or fulfilling career. Some fear getting kicked out of bars because their stutter might make them appear already drunk when asking for a beer. All of those above situations could be mitigated by a group of friends and allies in the deaf community. Going to a [deaf friendly bar](https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dcs-h-street-embedded-with-deaf-culture/2013/07/15/efd54732-e3f3-11e2-a11e-c2ea876a8f30_story.html?utm_term=.38cace004f6c&noredirect=on) , [a Starbucks “Signing Store”](https://www.washingtonian.com/2018/10/23/starbucks-opens-its-first-signing-store-for-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-in-dc/) , taking back — or finding for the first time — the ability to communicate without being ostracized. It has the potential to give someone the feeling of acceptance and self worth, like the earlier commenter’s friend from Uni. Highly discouraged? Bah... that’s not thinking outside the box at all.