Audism

Audism is discrimination against those who are deaf or have difficulty hearing. Audists believe that hearing or behaving as if one hears is better or superior to being deaf or having a hearing impediment. Audism can present in a number of ways including being unwilling to communicate with people who are deaf, ignoring the deaf, knowing sign language and refusing to use it to communicate with those who are deaf, and having lower expectations for the abilities of the deaf in school or the workplace. While most audists can hear, it is possible for the deaf to develop this viewpoint. They may think that being able to hear is better than being deaf and act as if they are not deaf.

Background

The term audism was first used in 1975 by Tom L. Humphries, who at the time was a graduate student at Union Institute, Cincinnati, Ohio. In his doctoral thesis, Humphries used the term to describe the attitude that those who hear are superior to those who have full or partial deafness. Humphries went on to become a college professor and author who specialized in deaf culture, which refers to the beliefs, attitudes, behavior, and history of individuals who use sign language to communicate. Most deaf people do not consider themselves disabled. They prefer to see themselves as being part of a minority community that uses a different form of communication. This minority community is subject to the same types of prejudices, generalizations, and stereotyping that are applied to other minority groups. The deaf may feel misunderstood by those who are not part of their community. They may also disapprove of some members of their community who pretend not to be deaf or refuse to acknowledge the condition.

The term audism came into general usage over the two decades following Humphries’ thesis. In 2008, it was included in The American Heritage Dictionary. The definition in the dictionary created controversy, however. It described the deaf as individuals who have an impaired ability to hear. Some felt that the definition presented the absence of hearing as a lesser state than being able to hear. After consultation with Humphries, the definition was revised to remove this implication.

Overview

Calling someone an audist implies the same type of prejudice or discrimination as calling someone racist. Audists can exhibit their prejudice in many ways. The definition Humphries created in 1975 refers to individual audism. Since then, others have added additional forms of audism, including institutional, metaphysical, and laissez-faire audism.

Harlan Lane (1936 –2019), an American linguist, psychologist, and expert in deaf culture, identified institutional audism. It refers to situations in which an organization’s policies or procedures limit the rights of a person who is deaf or provide a different level of service or care. Medical personnel who make no effort to find a sign language interpreter for a person who is deaf or an employer who will not hire or promote a person who is deaf to a position for which the person is otherwise qualified for are examples of institutional audism. Institutional audism also occurs when entertainment or cultural venues such as movie theaters and museums do not make adequate accommodations for people who are deaf.

Metaphysical audism is the belief that one must fluently speak a native verbal language to be a complete human being. This viewpoint sees the use of sign language or other adaptive means of communication as inferior to spoken language. It implies a deficiency in the person because they do not use spoken language “like everyone else.”

Laissez-faire audism refers to an attitude that recognizes the presence of a culture of people with deafness or hearing limitations but denies them the ability to make decisions for themselves. They cannot make decisions that affect their lives because they must do what someone else thinks is “better.” The use of a pediatric cochlear implant, a surgically implanted device that provides a sensation of sound, is seen as an example of this form of audism because it is used in children who are too young to decide on its use themselves.

Some experts note that a person’s intent is important. For example, suppose a person speaks loudly and slowly to someone who is deaf. If the person is sincerely trying to make it easier to communicate but is simply unaware of how to do this, it is not considered audism.

People who are deaf can also be audists. For example, some people who are deaf can use spoken language better than others. If they feel this makes them better than others in the deaf community, they are exhibiting audism.

Bibliography

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“Audism Conference 2019.” National Technical Institute for the Deaf, www.ntid.rit.edu/nccl/audism-conference-2019. Accessed 26 March 2019.

“Audism: Oppression in the Lives of Deaf Individuals.” VAWnet, vawnet.org/sc/audism-oppression-lives-deaf-individuals. Accessed 26 March 2019.

“Audism: Understanding Its Meaning and Implications in the Deaf Community.” University of Oregon, media.uoregon.edu/channel/archives/3501. Accessed 26 March 2019.

Berke, Jamie. “The Meaning and Practice of Audism.” VeryWell Health, 18 June 2018, www.verywellhealth.com/deaf-culture-audism-1046267. Accessed 26 March 2019.

Clancy, Megan. “Noted Deaf Culture Scholar, Trustee Dr. Tom Humphries Gives Presentation.” Gallaudet University, 9 April 2013, www.gallaudet.edu/news/dpn-tom-humphries. Accessed 26 March 2019.

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“What Is Audism?” Deaf Choice, Inc., deafchoice.com/faq/what-is-an-audist/. Accessed 26 March 2019.