Audism

Our world is built around sound. This is NOT beneficial for everyone. Audism is a practically unknown, yet recognized form of audiological discrimination and oppression. As long as there are Deaf people and Hearing, there will be a chasm that is difficult, yet not impossible, to navigate.

Audism is not merely a belief or opinion but a documented social reality and a subset of ableism, rooted in the assumption that people with hearing are inherently more able, capable, competent, or valuable than those who are Deaf. Like other expressions of ableism, audism functions through systems, institutions, and cultural expectations that disadvantage an entire community.

Audism shows up in many layers of society and often in their own family room. It appears in educational policies that prioritize speech over sign language, in medical systems that frame Deafness as something to be fixed, and in workplaces that fail to provide interpreters or captioning. It also shows up in everyday interactions, sometimes in unintentional ways, such as speaking to a hearing companion instead of directly to a Deaf person, treating sign language as optional or inferior, or assuming a Deaf person cannot contribute equally without first becoming “more hearing.”

Because audism is systemic, it does not depend on malicious intent in order to cause harm. Hearing-centered practices can create unintentional barriers that isolate Deaf individuals, limit access to information, or restrict opportunities for growth and leadership. When these systems go unexamined, they reinforce unequal power dynamics and restrict the visibility and legitimacy of Deaf culture, language, and community practices.

To understand audism fully, it is important to recognize the cultural richness within Deaf communities, especially the central role of signed language, visual learning, and collective identity. Challenging audism involves more than acknowledging discrimination; it requires shifting environments, expectations, and policies to reflect genuine inclusion. By recognizing both intentional and unintentional forms of bias, individuals and institutions can take meaningful steps toward honoring Deaf ways of communicating and participating in the world.

Watch the video below. Observe how it makes you feel. When I watch it, I think, "why isn't anyone helping her or attempting to communicate with her?" If that is what you notice too, maybe there is hope for us yet.