5 things you didn’t know about Deaf Awareness
09/26/2023DEAF AWARENESS MONTH
In September we celebrate d/Deaf* Awareness Month. The initiative aims to raise awareness around the language, culture and diversity of the d/Deaf community. In 1958, the first ever International Day of the Deaf was celebrated by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) on Sept. 23. This one day of awareness was later extended into a full month.
DNA connects with the hearing-impaired and d/Deaf population through events like the DeafNation Expo at Legacy Park on Oct. 7. Since 2003, the DeafNation Expo showcase has brought more than 1 million attendees to hundreds of events all over the U.S.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PEOPLE
- *There is a difference between “the lowercase d” deaf and the “the uppercase D” Deaf. When someone identifies themselves as deaf with a lowercase d, it might mean they see their hearing loss as more of a medical condition and may have not had as much time immersed in the Deaf community. Someone may identify as Deaf with a capital D if they identify as a member of the Deaf community and/or “culturally Deaf.” Using “d/Deaf” can be one way to include both groups of people in your writing. You can read more about this difference here.
- Over 1.1 million Arizonans are hard of hearing and more than 20,000 people in Arizona are culturally Deaf (ACDHH).
- More than 90% of deaf children are born to hearing parents (NIDCD).
- American Sign Language, commonly referred to as ASL, is not a universal language. Some countries will use different signs, and there are several regional variations and dialects depending on where you are in the world.
- Around 13% of the U.S. population is hearing impaired or deaf. (NIDCD).