How is entertainment changing?
Luckily, deaf representation in films, shows, and books has increased over the years. Yet, we cannot turn a blind eye to the harm that has already been caused throughout these years.
Individuals from "Deaf U" via The New York Times.
Here are some films, movies, and TV shows created in the past few years with strong and accurate deaf representation. Below provided are the names of the movie/show, release year, genre, actor/actress name, name of character, and hearing status of the actor/actress.
A Quiet Place (I & II), 2018, Horror/SciFi.
Millicent Simmonds as Regan Abbott, deaf, main character.
Eternals, 2021, Action/Fantasy Lauren Ridloff as Makkari, deaf, supporting character.
CODA, 2021, Comedy/Musical,
(from left to right) Troy Kotsur,
Marlee Matlin, & Daniel Durant, as Frank, Jackie, and Leo Rossi, respectively.
Deaf, main characters.
Deaf U, 2020, Reality/Netflix Documentary on college students who go to an all deaf school. Cast includes Cheyenna Clearbook, Rodney Burford, and Alexa Paulay.
Switched at Birth, 2011, Drama, Katie Leclerc (in teal dress, middle) as Daphne Vasquez, hard-of-hearing, & Sean Berdy (far left) as Emmett Bledsoe, deaf.
Ginny & Georgia, 2021, Drama. Chris Kenopic (middle) as Clint Baker, deaf.
Need for Deaf Support in Entertainment
The call for the entertainment world to right their wrongs is loud and clear, and they have started to ensure more accurate depictions of Deaf characters on-screen (Ava). While the industry has made some efforts to reform its practices, such as the production of the amazing shows and movies listed above, it's crucial for us not to overlook the extent of the progress made. There is still considerable work ahead to achieve meaningful change. Hollywood continues to perpetuate harmful stereotypes about deaf people (Lang).
According to a survey completed by Variety Magazine, 82% of deaf individuals believe the entertainment industry should offer more career support to improve on-screen representation (Lang). This shows the urgent need for better representation in media, which will increase awareness, accessibility, and togetherness while dismantling societal stigmas. Increased Deaf representation will bridge the gap between the deaf and hearing worlds and break the silence.
“When society doesn’t make deafness a barrier, it isn’t one.” (Novic).
Additionally, 63% of deaf individuals feel that movies and shows with deaf characters depict negative images of the community, impacting how they are perceived. Variety’s survey showed that 76% of deaf individuals feel like their media representation directly molds attitudes and solidifies long-withstanding biases (Lang). Learning this opened my eyes to the persistent barriers preventing the deaf community from being successful in the media, largely due to their historically erroneous representation. Moreover, the representation they do receive often pigeonholes them into narratives solely focused on their deafness (Parogni).
Deaf individuals are fundamentally no different from us hearing people and deserve recognition on this basis (Novic).
Comments