The Deaf community has its own terms to define itself and explain how they see the world. Words like audism, Deaf culture, and Deaf Gain are no longer uncommon today: they are concepts that have helped millions of Deaf people value themselves, build a positive self-concept, and change the way society looks at them. In this infographic, we’ll share five of these concepts and explain why they remain so important today.
Transcription for people with low vision or blindness:
- Audism (1975): A form of discrimination, prejudice, or stereotyping toward deaf people. The classic example is the belief that the less hearing or speech ability a deaf person has, the less capable they are.
- Deaf Culture (1980): The development of a distinct cultural and linguistic identity among Deaf people. This encompasses the use of sign language, values, traditions, history, and a shared identity based on the visual experience of the world.
- Deafhood (1993): A personal and collective process of discovering, building, and affirming a positive Deaf identity as one becomes aware of forms of social oppression. Each person follows their own path to understanding themselves within Deaf culture.
- Deafspace (2005): An architectural and design approach conceived for and by deaf people. It focuses on creating environments that facilitate visual communication. It prioritizes visibility, lighting, clear lines of sight, and ease of visual communication.
- Deaf Gain (2009): A way of viewing deafness not as a loss, but as a contribution. It highlights all that deaf people and sign languages offer the world: linguistic, cognitive, cultural, and design benefits that enrich human diversity.
You can also see all the Unusualverse infographics here.
