Technology Impact On Deaf Culture

How have you become more dependent on technology as a result of the increasing innovation over the years? Is your smartphone your alarm in the morning? Are you constantly checking social media for updates regarding other people 's lives? The rise of technology is revolutionizing the way humanity lives, shaping different cultures around the world. The DHH, or deaf and hard of hearing culture is one that has been majorly impacted by the rise of technology. Prior to the recent development and globalization of technology, deaf individuals have been isolated and stigmatized because of certain restrictions and limitations as a result of their auditory impairment. People have wrongfully labeled the Deaf Community as "disabled" or "handicapped," creating

For one, deaf individuals are increasing cultural awareness as “[t]here are a number of famous Deaf people from different countries and of different age groups on social media” (Tannenbaum-Baruchi & Feder-Bubis 4). An example would Marlee Matlin, an Emmy-winning deaf actress who recently competed on the popular television show, Dancing With the Stars. Her overall experience on the show was quite groundbreaking as she “dismiss[ed] the popular misconception that deaf people cannot relate to music” (An 5) through her ability to still dance to music given her hearing impairment. People often assume that because of their hearing impairment, deaf individuals are unable to enjoy music. However, Matlin’s performance is a clear example of how she was still able to dismiss that common misconception, educating the public more about her condition. Furthermore, DHH individuals are being portrayed more in the media, specifically television and movies. According to journalism professor Katherine Foss, “[s]torylines with d/Deaf characters have become much more common in the last 15 years, with 263 of the representations airing after 1996” (Foss 5). For example, the ABC family television drama, Switched at Birth, has positively represented the Deaf Community through its deaf protagonists and storylines. Through a thorough and intensive study, telecommunications doctorate researcher Seon-Kyoung An reveals “...that exposure to the television drama Switched at Birth had a favorable impact on people’s general attitudes about deafness and deaf people” (An 16). This is significant as the increase of representations of the Deaf Community can contribute to the normalization and destigmitization of the deaf culture overall as seen in An’s study. People are more likely to be accepting and tolerating of deaf individuals when the public views the lives of DHH individuals in