Audism is a highly prevalent, but relatively unknown form of prejudice and discrimination that impacts the Deaf community every day.
The term Audism was coined in 1975 by Tom Humphries in his doctoral dissertation Communicating Across Cultures (deaf-hearing) and Language Learning. He defined Audism as "The notion that one is superior based on one's ability to hear or to behave in the manner of one who hears." A person who practices Audism is an Audist, and they can be hearing or deaf. It is often practiced inadvertently, unknowingly, and by persons who have not been exposed to or educated about the Deaf community.
In 1992, psychology professor Harlan Lane expanded on Humphries' original definition of Audism, as it is not only a belief system, but Audism is also the systematic oppression against Deaf/deaf individuals, (culturally Deaf/medically deaf).
Lane defined Audism as "The corporate institution for dealing with deaf people, dealing with them by making statements about them, authorizing views of them, describing them, teaching about them, governing where they go to school and, in some cases, where they live; in short, audism is the hearing way of dominating, restructuring, and exercising authority over the deaf community. It includes such professional people as administrators of schools for deaf children and of training programs for deaf adults, interpreters, and some audiologists, speech therapists, otologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, librarians, researchers, social workers, and hearing aid specialists."
Once more the definition was expanded on in 2000 by H-Dirkson and L Bauman, defining Audism as the metaphysical orientation that links human identity with speech. (Audism: Exploring the Metaphysics of Oppression)
Audism can appear environmentally, linguistically, culturally, interpersonally, and/or systemically. It can be terroristic, overt, covert, subconscious, indifferent, or even defensive.
Here are some examples of Audism:
Depriving Deaf children of sign language, forcing them to participate in or overly rely on spoken communication and lip reading, and depriving them of Deaf culture and community.
Not learning sign language for your Deaf child, or otherwise Deaf loved one.
Believing speech is central to language, or that a child who signs instead of speaks is somehow less developed.
Feeling and/or expressing pity, or otherwise negative feelings because someone is Deaf or Hard of Hearing, and/or believing Deafness needs a cure.
Refusing to communicate with, or facilitate information to a Deaf person, or otherwise making it a Deaf person's sole responsibility to facilitate communication.
Excluding Deaf people, or denying accessibility tools (like interpreters), in any environment or situation.
Assuming or having low expectations of a Deaf person's language or communication abilities, or assuming they are unintelligent.
Ridiculing or mocking sign language, or a Deaf person's accent, or asking a Deaf person to be less expressive with their sign language.
Using expressions like the aggressive"Are you deaf?/What are you, deaf?" or even expressions like "Turn a deaf ear to", or "silence is deafening" are audist microaggressions. They are examples of ableist language because they frame deafness as something negative.
Viewing Deaf culture as invalid, less real, or less valuable than hearing culture.
Trying to assert what is best for Deaf people when you are a hearing person (Why don't you just get a Cochlear Implant? / If Deaf people just tried harder...)
These are just a few examples out of many. Audism is oppressive to the Deaf community, and the first step to being an ally and abolishing Audism is education. Here are some resources to help you practice Allyship with the Deaf community.
https://www.handspeak.com/learn/357/ - Audism Scale: Where Do You Fall?
https://www.project-easier.eu/news/2021/07/21/what-is-audism-and-how-to-avoid-it/ - How to Avoid Audism
https://www.handspeak.com/learn/230/ - Hearing Allyship with the Deaf Community
SOURCES:
“Audism: A Form of Discrimination.” 1996-2023 Jolanta a. Lapiak, 5 May 2016, www.handspeak.com/learn/219.
Audism: Exploring the Metaphysics of Oppression on JSTOR. www.jstor.org/stable/42658711.
“Audism Scale: Where Do You Fall.” 1996-2023 Jolanta a. Lapiak, 17 Aug. 2017, www.handspeak.com/learn/357.
Facca, Margherita. “What Is Audism and How to Avoid It?” EASIER – Intelligent Automatic Sign Language Translation, 13 Sept. 2021, www.project-easier.eu/news/2021/07/21/what-is-audism-and-how-to-avoid-it.
“Hearing Allyship With Deaf People.” 1996-2023 Jolanta a. Lapiak, 8 Aug. 2019, www.handspeak.com/learn/230.
Comments