Essay On Audism

700 Words3 Pages
Jordan Miller September 6, 2012 Audism Unveiled What is Audism? It is the notion that one is superior based on one’s ability to hear and speak or behave in the manner of one who hears and speaks. It was thought of and implicated by Tom Humphries. It was added to the different forms of oppression, the others being racism, sexism and heterosexism. The video does a great job of explaining all the ways and situations it is seen. The one that shocked me the most was about families of those who are deaf. I just don’t understand how you wouldn’t want to learn sign to better your relationship with your family. The older gentleman that told the story about his mother and how he will never know what her last words were was inspiration enough for…show more content…
Due to the fact that those who were deaf did not use their tongues and used their hands instead to communicate, they were seen as being “sub-human”. Things that were discussed in the video shocked me. I never realized that those who are deaf were treated in such ways, that they had to coin a term for such oppression. Deaf individuals were scorned for signing; their hands were swatted with rulers. Doctors thought in order to “cure” someone from being deaf that they should go to an oral school. It was very sad to see how ones family would not want to learn to be able to communicate with their child. I don’t believe that using your hands to communicate makes you any less of a person; I think people just don’t understand those who are different. Punishment. In some cultures the deaf are seen to have a bad past from the past life. So by being born deaf they are seeking their punishment. They also look to religion to cleanse the soul. A purified soul will create a more perfect body. Parents were also known to cut the tongue out of their deaf child. Not only did they take harsh punishment out on the children but also on deaf mothers who are having children. 30 sterilization laws passed in the U.S. never included deaf citizens and there are many accounts of families who have given permission to sterilize their deaf relatives without
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