Deaf Culture

What is Deaf culture? When it is spelled with a capital D, it represents a community and a culture that spans different ethnicities and races. What prompted my curiosity was Nora, the main character in “Silence Roars.” She suddenly loses her hearing. As I began writing this short story, I realized I would need to do some research. In my travels seeking background information, I stumbled across this video.

I like the myth busting in this video. Especially the part about individuals in Deaf culture not seeing themselves as disabled. The Deaf Culture Center in Toronto Canada’s Distillery Historic District is a place that showcases the many ways Deaf culture has influenced itself and society at large (Cripps & Small, 2016).

Some of the permanent exhibits trace the history of sign language from France to the United States and to Canada. There are interactive spaces in the Deaf Sports exhibit that document inventions such as Paul Hubbard’s football huddle and baseball signs.

References:

Cripps, J., & Small, A. (2016). Deaf Culture Centre : How the community takes its rightful place in history. Sign Language Studies, 17(1), 101–110.

Lamdeffamilia. (February 20, 2023). What is it Like to Be Deaf? [Video]. YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60lzVhXW_0U

Are you a part of Deaf culture? What would you like to explore about it?