“Audism” a term similar to racism or sexism, for the Deaf community and how it hurts them

The word “Audism” was coined by professor Tom Humphries in 1975, and it means a discriminatory attitude about Deafness, or a feeling that hearing people are superior because they have normal hearing. Most people think it is a disability to be Deaf and they feel pity, or they look down on, Deaf people and feel the focus should be fixing the “problem;” the deafness. They don’t realize we have a rich vibrant culture and support system and language that we are proud of and that gives us a lot of pride and joy. 

Rachel Zemach, Deaf educator, writer, and passionate activist on behalf of Deaf and hard of hearing children and adults, is sharing her experience and expertise in her upcoming memoir, “THE BUTTERFLY CAGE.” She shares captivating first-hand accounts from her life as a Deaf person and explores the differences in thinking between two major, and often conflicting, viewpoints on how to educate Deaf children, and how she saw the two different approaches impacting students.

“Hearing people have a funny sort of split in their thinking; they often love sign language and are happy to meet Deaf people, but when the Deaf try to get a job or an education, or even go to an event like a talk at a local library, we meet a lot of unnecessary obstacles. The root of these obstacles is audism, and they usually center around our communication needs; everywhere we go we have to fight for our right simply to understand the people around us, even though they are our legal rights. This is why the Deaf community doesn’t see itself as disabled but we feel society is throwing unnecessary and unfair obstacles in our path,” says Rachel Zemach, Deaf educator and author.

In life, there are many things that we don’t know. And past that, there are even more things that we don’t know because they’re topics that we didn’t even know existed. What’s important is that when we become aware of these topics, that we commit ourselves to change and to also educate those around us. 

Zemach goes on to say that, “The biggest thing you can do to overcome, and reverse, your personal, unconscious audism, is to spend time with Deaf people who are culturally proud. Any Deaf event, Deaf show, or Deaf school will have capital-D Deaf people and there are Deaf tiktokkers, influencers, comedians, dancers, and so on, online for all to see. Read Deaf news, hang out with Deaf people, and take Deaf studies classes (or read my book) and you will quickly shed your previous assumptions. We have a lot of solutions to what you see as problems; some of those things we consider benefits. Deaf people are doctors, lawyers, politicians, school administrators  and business owners, yet hearing people still ask us all the time if we can drive!”