Hard Of Hearing - Blog Posts

You know, sometimes I struggle to call myself disabled. And it’s not because I think the word “disabled” is inherently negative or demeaning. (I’ve long since grown out of that mindset.)

Really, half the time I feel like, “well, I can still hold my own in hearing spaces! I don’t even use aids! I don’t have it that bad. I’m not disabled enough.”

But even so, if I’m not focusing hard on the person speaking to me, I probably wont be able to understand them.

If a room has background noise, or if someone is standing on my left side, hearing them will basically be impossible.

If people aren’t right in front of me they really have to project or else I won’t be able to understand a word they say.

It takes so much energy every day to make sure I’m hearing and understanding everything around me.

I am disabled.

Yet general society has pushed the narrative that disabled people cannot function ever. To truly count as disabled, you must always be cared for. You must always be in a wheelchair. You must always have aids. If your struggle isn’t immediately obvious, are you really disabled?

And that’s bullshit to me. Because all it leads to is being infantilized, looked down upon, and scrutinized endlessly. It’s especially bad for those who are neurodivergent or otherwise mentally disabled.

We shouldn’t have to live like that. We shouldn’t have to justify and prove our suffering to everyone we meet so we can get the accommodations we need. We shouldn’t have to be looked down upon for being disabled.

ONe more small post before I go to bed ( I probably wont) BUT headcanon for bunny. he's hard of hearing/deaf. why? cause I said so. also I love projecting

okay that's it

Hey y’all!

I’m about to make a website for an organization I’m creating to help those with hidden/invisible disabilities and illnesses.

I want to be able to make this website accessible for people with all types of conditions and wanted to reach out on here to get any suggestions from people with those types of conditions.

I also created an Instagram for the organization but it’s still in the very early stages so I won’t be sharing yet…

Let me know if you have any suggestions or questions!

Zim has tourettes because I say so (I have tourettes and I'm projecting)

And I leaned that he is hard of hearing just like me

The theme song is a special place for me because the show came out before I got diagnosed with a hearing loss. So when I head it for the first time with my hearing aids, I was so shocked. 😭

Putting up the volume ungodly high for the theme song

I am a hearing high school student in the UK. I want to learn BSL. Are there any deaf approved BSL courses that are for free?

Hard of hearing Steve Harrington is so real to me.

Eddie starts to realise how much Steve concentrates on watching people’s mouths when they talk. At first he doesn’t think much of it until Eddie is watching Steve as Mike and Dustin argue about something and his head is whipping between the two of them trying to read their lips to get an idea of what’s going on. Eddie puts his hand on Steve knee to see if he’s ok, thinking Steve’s just stressed seeing his ‘children’ argue but Steve says to Eddie, without taking his eyes off Dustin and Mike, “don’t distract me I’m trying to see what they’re saying”. It then clicks for Eddie that all that head trauma has had a bigger impact on Steve than he originally thought. He keeps a closer eye on Steve that night as he plans what to do.

When Steve next comes around to the trailer Eddie decides to try talk to him with his back turned to see if Steve understands him. He’s met with a lot of “huh?”, “can you repeat that?”, and “can you turn around?” Eddie finally decided to ask Steve about his hearing, and in true Steve fashion he denies all and claims he can hear perfectly fine. Eddie just stares at him and covers his own mouth and stays “no you can’t”. Steve throws his head back and just sits in silence for a while, thinking. After a few minutes he turns to Eddie and asks “so, you can understand people without having to read their lips?” Eddie nods, and Steve sighs as Eddie grabs his hand, rubbing his thumb. “You know we could learn ASL together?” Eddie suggests as he turns his head to fully face Steve. “You’d really do that for me?” “Of course I’d do that for you, you idiot. I want to talk to you and for you to actually understand what I’m saying.” Steve’s face lights up, and his eyes well up, realising he’s never had someone pay this much attention to the little things about him and actually want to help him. Steve leans in and gently kisses Eddie, and pulls away to show one of the few pieces of ASL Steve knows.

“I love you” 🤟

No because I love this. When someone asks me anything abt asl or pse or Deaf culture I get so excited because it’s my culture!! It’s my language!! I get so happy!!

nothing more flattering than someone saying "oh don't get her going" in reference to you when a topic you're passionate about is brought up

Being hard of hearing / deaf is so fucking awkward

I have -45 DB of hearing loss ish in each ear so like

I can hear shit

But also no i really cant

What do verbal, hearing people have against sign language?

I'm a hearing-able and "usually" verbal person, but since I'm autistic I sometimes go into verbal shutdown.

Both because of that and because I simply find sign languages to be important languages that should be more normalized around the globe, I really wanted to have the opportunity to learn my country's sign language properly.

However, whenever I mention that to certain people, they'll tell me it's useless and pointless because I don't know any deaf, hard-of-hearing or nonverbal individuals.

Like????? Excuse me?????

I don't know about other countries, but we don't have the chance to learn sign in Portuguese schools and I personally think we should be taught to communicate easily with everyone in our own country before being taught how to communicate with foreigns.

Sign languages are languages like any other. When my friends chose to learn French and German no one told them it was useless because they don't know any French or German people, so what's the big deal with sign language?

I apologize to any and every deaf, Deaf, hard-of-hearing, non-verbal or semiverbal person reading this for how rude some jerks out there can be.

(Also, sorry if hearing-abled isn't the correct term, I can’t really find an answer anywhere)

I'm not even like deaf or hoh but if you're adding subtitles to something I think you should always transcribe foreign languages too. None of that [Speaks Spanish] shit. You don't need to translate it to english. But you need to at least give the option for a deaf person to read it and understand it themselves. I don't care if it's not important to the plot. I don't care if it's just them saying like Okay or Damn or whatever the fuck. Write it down

So I grew up in a house where everyone is hard of hearing or has audio processing issues. Here is my ranking of streaming services subtitles (Australia only):

Best to worst

1. Crunchyroll: always synched, no background

2. Netflix: almost always synched, no background, matches dialogue, multiple languages

3: Stan: almost always synched, no background matches dialogue

4: Binge: minor synching issues, no background, matches dialogue

5: Amazon prime video: major synching issues, inconsistent backgrounds (sometimes transparent, sometimes opaque), matches dialogue

5: Disney+: minor synching issues, inconsistent backgrounds (sometimes transparent, sometimes opaque), mostly matches dialogue

6: Foxtel Go: minor synching issues, opaque background, matches dialogue 50% of the time

7: Paramount+: de-synches after ten minutes, opaque background, matches dialogue 50% of the time

Haven't tried AMC+

I just wanted to complain

MEDIA COMPANIES DO BETTER

Growing up in a house where everyone is hard of hearing or has audio processing issues means:

•"What do you want for dinner" "what?" What do you-" "chicken Kiev"

•"no subtitles? Pick something else"

• Unsynced subtitles = day ruined

• Knock on the door or misheard noise?

• "so-" *sneeze* *wait 3 seconds* "hearing back? So-"

Write more Deaf characters!

[Large Text: Write more Deaf characters!]

When answering questions about deaf and hard of hearing characters, I have noticed they are overwhelmingly about:

A character who is deaf in one ear or hard of hearing because of an accident

A character who was born deaf and knows sign language, but seems to have 0 connection to the broader Deaf community

This is not the experience of most d/Deaf people! So, here's your primer to Deaf community and culture, and writing a Deaf character, because they are sorely underrepresented.

(Disclaimer: this post was written using viewpoints I, a singular Deaf person in the United States, have encountered. I tried to make this as general as possible to encompass many Deaf views, but it is possible that I have misconstrued something. Do not take this guide as the be-all and end-all of your knowledge on Deaf culture. Keep reading and researching the Deaf community, and explore viewpoints from many different Deaf people of all backgrounds.)

Why do you write Deaf with capital D?

[Large Text: Why do you write Deaf with capital D?]

The term "deaf" with the lowercase d means not being able to hear. The term "Deaf" with an uppercase D refers to the cultural identity formed by deaf people. This identity is difficult to explain but it includes knowing sign language and engaging with other Deaf people.

There are varying opinions within the Deaf community on who is allowed to call themselves culturally Deaf. Some Deaf believe that only those who were born into the Deaf community (whose family is Deaf, who attended a Deaf school, and/or who have sign language as a first language) are allowed to consider themselves culturally Deaf. On the 'flip' side, some Deaf believe that anyone with hearing loss can claim the label. And of course, you can find someone Deaf with any opinion in between.

This is all intracommunity nuance. If your character is born deaf and learns sign language at a young age or as a first language, they are likely culturally Deaf.

Sign Language Use

[Large Text: Sign Language Use]

Sign languages are the language of Deaf communities. (Note that there are many sign languages in different regions, and they are not related in the same way spoken languages are!)

Most sign languages did not originate alongside spoken language, either, so they usually have different grammar than the spoken language in a region. This means that someone whose first language is sign may have difficulty learning even the written version of the spoken language due to the different grammar and translation. For native signers, the spoken language of their area is their second language.

Sign languages are fully developed languages, with grammar and structure. Sign language is not "less" than spoken language, and encouraging sign language does not discourage speech. (Even if it did, that's not a bad thing! Sign languages are still a valid and rich communication form!) Sign languages have slang and expressions/idioms too.

Sign languages typically have a "manual alphabet" otherwise known as "fingerspelling". This is a way to represent words that don't have a sign. Fluent signers very rarely fingerspell; normally fingerspelling is for proper nouns which don't have a name sign.

Name signs are the last big point I want to cover about sign language. A name sign is a way to refer to someone so you don't have to spell their name every time. It's usually related to someone's attributes, like dimples or a specific way of moving. Sign names can only be given by Deaf people who are fluent in sign language.

Deaf Education

[Large Text: Deaf Education]

For a long time, deaf people were considered unable to learn, just because they couldn't hear. And since 1880, for about 100 years and even still today, the prevailing tradition in deaf education was/is oralism--a teaching method based on speech that rejects sign language.

Historically speaking, if deaf children were to receive an education, they would be sent to a Deaf residential school. These still exist, although there are also many Deaf schools that are typical day schools, just for d/Deaf/hoh students.

Deaf children may also attend "mainstream" schools; they might have sign language interpreters and other accessibility accommodations, or they may be forced to rely on lipreading and context, or placed in special education where their needs often still are not met.

Oralism still has lasting effects today. Deaf people have received, and still do receive, worse education than hearing people.

One common problem is language deprivation. Many deaf children grow up without access to sign language. About 90% of deaf people are born to hearing parents; even if hearing parents do send their deaf kids to a Deaf school, they may not learn sign language themselves, so the child must rely on what they can gather of spoken language at home. Sign language is even discouraged by some audiologists and speech professionals, because it "might interfere with speech". But by depriving deaf children of sign language, more often than not, they are being deprived of all language.

People who are born deaf do not learn spoken language naturally, even when provided with aids like hearing aids and cochlear implants. Many deaf kids who learn speech learn it through extensive speech therapy, and often have a "deaf accent" from copying mouth shapes but not being able to hear or process what sounds they are making, which may also include having an atypically pitched voice (e.g., very high-pitched). Lip-reading is inaccurate and the best lip-readers can only follow about 30% of a conversation, and that's by intently watching with no breaks.

It is possible to learn a language at any age. But it is easiest to pick up a new language when one is young. Children who do not learn a first language by around age 5--the age at which they would start school--have more difficulty learning any language, and may have frequent outbursts or trouble expressing emotions as a result of communication difficulties.

Another problem, especially within the Deaf community, is literacy. Spoken languages are often unrelated to the signed language of the same region. Learning to read and write, as a Deaf child, is like learning a whole new separate language, with different grammar and structure than their native language. This is why captions are not a perfect accessibility tool--it is, for many Deaf people, being offered an alternative in their second language, if they have learned to read and write at all.

Deaf Culture Norms

[Large Text: Deaf Culture Norms]

To hearing people, Deaf conversation can seem very blunt and to the point. This isn't to say Deaf people are inexpressive--quite the opposite: sign languages often use facial expressions as part of the grammar, and there is a lot of expression that can be incorporated into a sign--but there isn't a lot of "talking around" things. You can see part of this culture in name signs, which are usually based off a trait of the person. It's not offensive--it's just how they're recognized!

Another conception is of Deaf people being over expressive, but again, that is just part of sign language grammar. Face and body movements take the place of tone of voice, as well as other grammatical clarifications.

Deaf people talk a lot! It's very hard to end a conversation, because there will always be something else to say or a new person to meet. Hugging and other physical touch are really common greetings.

Tapping people on the shoulder to get their attention is fine. Other ways include flicking the lights or rattling a surface (for vibrations). Eye contact while signing is also important to make known that you are listening. Groups of Deaf people will sit in a circle so everyone can see everyone else. It's rude to talk in a Deaf space. If you are lost in the conversation, you'd ask if you can write or type instead.

Deaf Space also refers to design concepts that are more accessible to deaf people. This includes good lighting, minimal signing-height visual obstacles (e.g., low waist-height shelves), visual indicators instead of bells, open spaces so people can sit in a circle to talk, and automatic doors and wide hallways/passages so it is easier to continue a conversation while walking.

It's also very rude to comment on a Deaf person's voice. Do not mention you're surprised they can speak. Do not call their accent "cute" or "weird" or anything like that. Do not ask them to speak. Do not say their voice sounds really good ("for a deaf person") or that you wouldn't be able to tell they are deaf.

Deaf Views on Deafness

[Large Text: Deaf Views on Deafness]

The Deaf community is incredibly proud of their Deafness. You'll often hear the phrases "hearing loss = deaf gain" or "failing a hearing test" as "passing the deaf test". Continuing the Deaf community and culture is highly valued, and learning sign language is encouraged for everyone.

Many people in the Deaf community dislike cochlear implants as their success is incredibly variable and they require invasive surgery and therapies from a young age. Another big argument against CI is that they are often presented as the only or the first option to hearing parents, who misunderstand CI as a "cure" and then do not give their child access to sign language.

Deaf people also reject any sort of cure for deafness, especially genetic therapies. Many Deaf people do not think of their Deafness as a disability.

(Deaf people will often point out the advantages of Deaf culture and sign language, such as being able to talk over long distances, through windows, and even underwater.)

Most hard of hearing and some deaf people have hearing aids, although it is really an individual choice whether or not to wear them. Many d/Deaf/hoh people are overwhelmed and startled very easily by noise (since they're not used to that much auditory input) and get tinnitus from auditory overstimulation. They may also struggle with auditory processing--locating sounds, interpreting sounds, recognizing and interpreting speech, and other issues.

The Deaf community doesn't have any general complaints about hearing aids, just many prefer not to wear them. Do know that they are an imperfect aid; they just amplify sound, which doesn't improve processing or understanding, and it doesn't make people hearing. Not everyone even benefits from hearing aids--their specific hearing levels may make hearing aids a bad choice of aid.

A big point you'll hear in Deaf spaces is Deaf Can (and Deaf Power). Hearing people have historically treated deafness as a sign of incapability, but Deaf people can do everything hearing people can--except hear.

Myth Busting

[Large Text: Myth Busting]

Myth #1: All Deaf people are completely deaf. This is very far from the truth! Most deaf people have some degree of residual hearing, although this may require very loud sounds and/or at very specific pitches. Plus, there are many culturally Deaf people who are not deaf/hoh at all--CODAs, hearing children born to Deaf parents, are part of the Deaf community.

Myth #2: (Non-speaking) Deaf people do not make noise. Also very far from the truth! First off, Deaf people laugh. Many Deaf people also vocalize without knowing or intending, especially when excited. We can get very loud!

Myth #3: (Speaking) Deaf people talk loudly. While this can be true, often d/Deaf people talk more quietly than expected. This is because with severe to profound levels of deafness, no speaking volume is really going to be audible, so they will often rely on feeling vibrations in their throat to know if they're making noise. Vibrations are detectable at lower volumes than hearing people like to listen to.

Myth #4: Deaf people can't drive. I actually have no idea where this one came from but it's false. Deaf people can absolutely drive, and tend to have a lower rate of accidents and violations than hearing drivers. There is a common trend of treating d/Deaf people like they can't do things unrelated to hearing, but deafness on its own only affects hearing.

Deaf Struggles in the Hearing World

[Large Text: Deaf Struggles in the Hearing World]

A huge problem is just basic accessibility. Many places do not have captions or visual indicators, or rely on hearing (like drive-throughs). Movie open caption screenings are often at awkward times, and caption glasses are hard to find or access and awkward to wear.

Deaf people are also at increased risk of police violence. Police often treat signing as aggression, rather than attempts to communicate. When they yell, talk quickly, or shine a flashlight in Deaf people's faces, it's even harder to understand what is going on. Deaf people are also not often provided with a qualified interpreter and may not understand what is going on or why they were arrested.

Deaf people, specifically those who are mainly kept in the hearing world, have higher rates of drug use and addiction.

Hearing people also treat Deaf people as incapable or lesser. Gallaudet University had only hearing presidents until 1988 after the Deaf President Now protests; then-chair of the board at GU said in a statement that received heavy backlash from the students, "deaf people cannot function in the hearing world".

When writing your Deaf character:

[Large Text: When writing your Deaf Character:]

Were they born to hearing parents or to Deaf parents? (90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents.) Is anyone else in the family d/Deaf?

At what age was their deafness noticed? (It can be at birth, or it can take several years, even for children born deaf.) Is their hearing loss progressive? Is their hearing loss significantly different in each ear?

Were they eligible for cochlear implants? Did they get CI? Did they get hearing aids? (Consider cost as a factor: CI requires the surgery as well as intensive speech therapy; hearing aids are also expensive and can need replacement and refitting.) How well do the aids work for them? Do they have them in one or both ears?

What advice did their family receive from audiologists and speech therapists about sign language and communication, and did their family listen? Did they learn sign language? At what age? Did their parents and family learn sign language? Are they language-deprived? Did they go through speech therapy? What is their speech like? Do they like using their voice?

Did or do they attend Deaf school? Is it residential or day school? If it's residential, did they understand what was happening when they were dropped off? Does the school use sign language or rely on oralism? (Consider time period; most schools now use sign language, but from 1880-about 1980 the predominant method was oralism.)

If they don't attend a Deaf school, what accommodations are they receiving in mainstream setting? Are they in special education? Are they in a Deaf program at a mainstream school? Do they have an interpreter? How much do they understand what is going on in class?

How involved are they in Deaf community and culture? Are their friends and family involved and supportive of the Deaf community? Do they treat deafness like something to cure? Do their friends and family frequently ignore or "forget" that they are deaf?

In general, consider their scenario, what ableism they've faced, and what their Deaf identity is.

Happy writing, and please continue to send in your questions!

Mod Rock

Everyone needs to learn sign language pls. Like whatever version is used in your country I encourage you to learn.

Not only will you be learning another language, but you'll be able to talk to other signers, D(d)eaf or not, and two people can communicate in loud places without needing to hear the other.

I'm hard of hearing and have such a difficult time with trying to hear others. I stopped wearing hearing aids because I got annoyed that even after about 18 years I still had a hard time distinguishing what hearies were saying.

I'm learning my country's sign language (ASL) but don't have any experienced signers to practice with. I really hope more people learn these languages (and the history of said languages).

And sign is also helpful with neurodivergent people and babies aswell!

What kind of technology do you think would help d/Deaf / HoH people in the future? Should there be more research into improving hearing aids, or making real-time captioning glasses, or maybe AI that can translate sign language instead of a human interpreter? What would be super useful if it existed?

Hello,

hearing loss is very varied, as are the types of communication people use. As such, I wouldn't focus on one single technology, since it wouldn't fit all deaf people.

Hearing aids can't be much improved, imo - they work on making sounds louder for existing hearing. They can be fine tuned, but they are more akin to glasses. The biggest issue with hearing aids isn't technology, but their price - they often aren't covered by insurance and as such, remain inaccessible for lot of people. There is also a significant stigma about their usage, esp for people who lose hearing later in life and discomfort with using them. I think that should be the priority.

Cochlear implants are a hearing device which can still be improved and does keep improving every year. Ideal end goal would be hearing identical to natural hearing and smaller size of implant. Current implants do work well, but sounds from them are different compared to "ordinary" hearing (more robotized, less fine) and they are still fairly big. Of course, you can't make them too small, otherwise you wouldn't be able to operate them. And same as hearing aids, price remains a problem - not just price of surgery and implant itself, but of batteries and upkeep.

I would honestly love real time caption glasses! They do exist in some way nowadays, but not in any practical form. One of the biggest issues is that automatic caption is still pretty... hit or miss. Especially in louder environments, extra especially if your language isn't English. I do think its a neat technology that could be useful, but we are far from its ideal existence. (not to mention, problems with privacy, connection to internet, how to power them, price, etc etc.)

There already has been some attempts into artificial interpreter, but nothing really workable. Big issue is that you need both technology that produces very fine tuned movement of all top parts of body (including face expressions) and is able to capture movement and recognize movement. Another issue is that you would need to have a workable library of all signs in a specific sign language. ASL is probably the closest to it, but it would need to be likely captured for that technology specifically and that's insane amounts of work. Unlike with written English, you can't just scrape internet for signs - they are in various video forms, differ slightly, lot of signs aren't on internet at all... To have AI interpreter, you first need to have a great, indexed sign language dictionary and that doesn't really exist at the moment.

(there are various online dictionaries but their quality... is in my opinion not up to par for this)

The biggest problem often isn't technical limit of technology itself, but the amount of time and money it would need for these technologies to exist. That's why cochlear implants get most "updates", bcs its funded by big medical companies and it brings lot of money.

In ideal world, I would love to have all of these technologies. If you focus on just one, you risk leaving part of community in the lurch. Not all deaf/hoh people use sign language. Not all deaf/hoh people want or can use hearing aids or cochlear implants. Not all deaf/hoh people are good readers (either due language issues or additional disabilities).

Hope this helped,

Mod T

Hard of hearing Steve where everyone learns early on that flashing the lights of the room their in is not a good way to get to get his attention.

I mean you'll have it.

But you'll also freak the fuck outta him.

HOH Steve Harrington Head Cannons

A few head cannons about Steve’s journey (mostly based on my own development of hearing issues in my late teens). Let me know your own head cannons or experiences in the comments!

• Steve doesn’t really notice (or if he does he ignores it) his gradual hearing loss. He does notice he’s more tired and irritable and feels angry at everything.

• When his friends start to notice they tell him he had a “hearing problem” and he should see a doctor. Steve insists he does not. They argue about it a few times, Eddie stands behind him quietly and says “yes you do” and looks at Robin pointedly when Steve does not notice or respond.

• Steve’s hearing loss developed from a few instances; Nancy firing her gun in his vicinity, demogorgan screeching, Billy breaking the plate on his ear, and lastly and most effective being tortured by Russians.

• When he does eventually get to the doctor, they tell him he has moderate to severe hearing loss and it may get worse.

• People tend to think he’s rude since his eye contact is bad (they don’t realize he’s reading their lips).

•When he gets hearing aids, Steve chooses blue because he decided if people were going to see them anyway, he wanted a fun color.

• Steve gets so exhausted by the end of the day he sits at the kitchen island with his head down breathing heavy. Eddie, Dustin, or Robin will usually pick up after him, the shoes he kicked off and the keys he threw on the table that slid off, etc.

• Steve still like to order. If he is in the drive thru he makes the passenger repeat what the server said.

• He bought a motorcycle because he can *feel* the engine roar.

• When Corroded Coffin plays, they let him sit on or against the speakers.

• They all learn some sign. Robin loves it (the linguist) and complains about what a lazy signer Steve is. He finger spells too much and can be very bad at grammar.

•Eddie thinks the little sounds Steve makes when he signs are cute, but will never tell him because he’s afraid it would sound weird or patronizing.

• Steve always laughs when the others stomp up to him to let him know they’re coming.

•Dustin throws stuff at him to get his attention.

• His hearing aids are overwhelming and he takes them out constantly (he hates the arcade) but sometimes he loses them, and he tears the place apart looking for them in panic.

• DO NOT touch his hearing aids. Ever.

• Eddie let’s Steve touch his throat to feel him talking.

•NOTE: please never fake a disability or culture online. It’s not cool and can (intentionally or unintentionally) spread misinformation, stereotypes, and polarization about the group you are pretending to be a part of. You CAN do damage by faking any kind of culture or disability, even if it feels harmless. Feel free to make content starring people from diverse backgrounds and experiences, just always be sure to do your research and try to stay away from stereotypes and harmful messages/misinformation.

Always reblog tips for writing good representation.

Tips on writing sign language

Disclaimers: while I have been learning ASL (American Sign Language, I am not yet fluent. Also, I am not deaf. Both of these things being said, I have been learning ASL for nearly a year and I’ve been doing independant research about the language itself and the Deaf community. What I’ve listed below are things that I have learned from my own personal experience signing, what I’ve learned in my ASL class, and what I’ve learned from my independant research.

1) When you write signed dialogue, use quotation marks and everything else you would use for any other type of dialogue. Yes, I know they didn’t do that in the Magnus Chase series, but many Deaf readers were made uncomfortable at the choice to depict sign language as not speech. Establish early on that the character signs and then use tags such as “xe signed,” or “hir motions were snappy with irritation.”

2) Without facial expressions, someone’s signs are going to be almost meaningless. All of the grammar is in the face, as are some descriptors. For example, if you can’t see a character’s face, and you’re only looking at their hands, the signs would be the same for the statement “Xe doesn’t have dogs.” and the question “Does xe have dogs?” 

3) There is no such thing as fluent lipreading. The best lipreaders in the world can only understand about 70% of what’s being said, and factors such as darkness, the presence of mustaches, lack of context, and a bunch of other common things can easily lower that ability. If someone’s lipreading, they’re taking little pieces of what they can lipread, and stitching together context and other details to get a general picture of what’s going on, but there’s still always going to be holes.

4) If you’re writing a character who can’t hear, know the difference between deaf (lowercase d) and Deaf (uppercase D). The medical term for not being able to hear anything is deaf. People who use their deafness as part of their identity are referred to, and refer to themselves as Deaf. They are part of the Deaf community.

(more tips below cut)

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