We've heard enough from me: how do deaf individuals and the community feel about their representation or lack thereof? How does it affect their lives?
Deafness entails lacking the ability to hear. It does not entail silencing deaf voices. Our ignorance of deaf people in media reinforces and directly promotes the silencing of their voices. In an effort to change this, here is what Ashley McGoey has to say in her post titled, "Deaf representation is lacking. This is why it matters".
McGoey (left), as a child.
McGoey writes about how media and entertainment shape our identities from a young age, especially when we do not see people who are like us on screen. Growing up deaf and with hearing aids led to McGoey feeling ashamed of who she was due to the lack of deaf representation.
Ever since she was young, McGoey loved Ariel from The Little Mermaid. However, she felt a painful disconnect because Ariel didn't wear hearing aids, making her feel inadequate and unable to carry out her dream of being like Ariel. Lack of deaf representation affects deaf individuals from a young age, and quickly instill feelings of inferiority and indignity.
“Ariel was so beautiful and magical and I wanted to be just like her, but because of my hearing aids, I couldn’t.”
Despite a supportive environment, McGoey often felt alone and different because she never saw characters that were deaf and/or with hearing aids in media. This lack of representation contributed to feelings of shame and isolation. Toy Story 4, 2019.
She states how there is still a significant lack of characters with disabilities in media, though there have been some improvements. She references examples such as a child with a cochlear implant in Toy Story 4 and a character with hearing aids in A Star is Born.
Although progress is slow, seeing people with hearing aids in media helps reduce feelings of shame and fosters a sense of belonging. McGoey wishes for more representation, especially with main characters who genuinely have hearing aids, to inspire and empower those with hearing loss.
Currently, McGoey continues to work on overcoming shame associated with hearing loss that was instilled within her from a young age. She believes that increased representation in media can help others feel included and inspired, rather than isolated, like she did.
Why Is Important Representation So Important?
As stated by Ashley McGoey through her own lived experiences, the absence of representation in the media often evokes feelings of shame and inadequacy among the deaf community. In addition to McGoey, many others within the deaf community recall childhood aspirations being shattered by their inability to identify with media portrayals. Similarly, the lack of relatable characters contributes to a pervasive sense of loneliness, depression, disappointment, isolation, invisibility, anger, resentment, and disconnection from media (Mcdonald). Representation and lack thereof immensely affect the well-being and sense of belonging within the deaf community.
Deaf individuals are fundamentally no different from us hearing people and deserve recognition on this basis (Novic). Mainstream media must grasp that inclusivity does not necessitate differentiation; inaccurate portrayals reinforce misconceptions and limit understanding of the deaf community's diverse and rich experiences. Deaf misrepresentation and lack thereof in the media affects us all, as it feeds hearing people stereotypic false narratives that simultaneously hurt the community. We must realize that the deaf community is resilient and real, deserves space to thrive and express themselves because deafness is not something to be “fixed.” By embracing differences and combating ableism, society can remove barriers and empower the deaf community.
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