Audism 
Allissa Lane
Deaf Culture
Dana Schlang
November 16, 2014
Audism
Audism is a term typically used to describe discrimination against deaf or hard of hearing people, although it could also be expanded to include anyone with a difference in hearing ability. This discrimination can occur in a number of forms in a range that includes physical, cultural, and linguistic variants. Further complicating the issue is the existence of intra-group discrimination, which can either mimic the pathways of inter-group discrimination or take entirely new forms. The term was popularly originated by author Tom Humphries in 1975; at the time the definition focused on the attitude that people who hear and speak, or hear and speak better, or have excellent English skills, are superior to others. The definition has since expanded to include more variations. Through this online class, I have learned more about Audism. We had many ways of understanding the meaning and how it affects people. In my own time, one book that I read that had excellent variations of Audism is ‘Triumph of the Spirit.’ One person who stuck out like a sore thumb for being guilty of Audism was Jane Spilman. She was quoted saying that the deaf people were not ready for a deaf president but then back peddles and states the interpreter misquoted her. That quote made many people very angry (deaf and hearing, alike) because it shows that Spilman only cared about her career (typical politician) and how she wanted to run Gallaudet. Another example from ‘Triumph’ was the Board of Trustees before the DPN movement. The people who represented Gallaudet were mostly hearing Trustees and did not understand the Deaf Culture. It wasn’t until the DPN movement that the BOT makeup was altered to have deaf people who understood what the students wanted and needed. Another way I learned about Audism is through the many movies I’ve seen throughout the years in school. The first movie that impacted me was ‘Sound and Fury.’ The
Deaf Culture
Dana Schlang
November 16, 2014
Audism
Audism is a term typically used to describe discrimination against deaf or hard of hearing people, although it could also be expanded to include anyone with a difference in hearing ability. This discrimination can occur in a number of forms in a range that includes physical, cultural, and linguistic variants. Further complicating the issue is the existence of intra-group discrimination, which can either mimic the pathways of inter-group discrimination or take entirely new forms. The term was popularly originated by author Tom Humphries in 1975; at the time the definition focused on the attitude that people who hear and speak, or hear and speak better, or have excellent English skills, are superior to others. The definition has since expanded to include more variations. Through this online class, I have learned more about Audism. We had many ways of understanding the meaning and how it affects people. In my own time, one book that I read that had excellent variations of Audism is ‘Triumph of the Spirit.’ One person who stuck out like a sore thumb for being guilty of Audism was Jane Spilman. She was quoted saying that the deaf people were not ready for a deaf president but then back peddles and states the interpreter misquoted her. That quote made many people very angry (deaf and hearing, alike) because it shows that Spilman only cared about her career (typical politician) and how she wanted to run Gallaudet. Another example from ‘Triumph’ was the Board of Trustees before the DPN movement. The people who represented Gallaudet were mostly hearing Trustees and did not understand the Deaf Culture. It wasn’t until the DPN movement that the BOT makeup was altered to have deaf people who understood what the students wanted and needed. Another way I learned about Audism is through the many movies I’ve seen throughout the years in school. The first movie that impacted me was ‘Sound and Fury.’ The