Cultural Appropriation in Deaf Communities

Cultural appropriation happens when people from a majority group take parts of a minority group’s culture without respect or proper understanding. For deaf people, this topic is important because it relates to their language, identity, and culture.

What is cultural appropriation?

Cultural appropriation means taking or using things from another culture without permission or respect. It happens when people from a powerful group use parts of a less powerful group’s culture for their own benefit [1].

In simple words, it is when hearing people:

Use sign language to get attention on social media
Make money from Deaf culture without giving back to the community
Pretend to know about Deaf experiences when they don’t [2][3]

Why does this matter to deaf communities?

Sign language is very important for Deaf identity. Throughout history, deaf people have faced many challenges:

In the past, deaf children were not allowed to use sign language in schools
Many deaf people were forced to speak instead of sign
Deaf culture and language were not respected [4][5]

When hearing people use sign language only for entertainment or profit, it can feel disrespectful to deaf people who had to fight for the right to use their own language [6].

Examples of cultural appropriation

Some examples include:

Hearing people using poor sign language in videos to get likes and followers
Companies selling products with sign language without involving deaf people
Hiring hearing people as sign language teachers instead of qualified deaf people [3][7]

Ayfer Iceloglu from Flanders explains: “We often don’t feel welcome in hearing communities. The feeling of not belonging is probably why we haven’t progressed as a community.” [8]

Positive ways to learn about Deaf culture

Learning sign language can be positive when done with respect:

Take classes taught by deaf instructors
Support deaf-owned businesses and organizations
Involve deaf people in projects about sign language and Deaf culture and treat them as equal partners. [6]

The Flemish Sign Language Centre says: “If there is mutual respect between sign language users and newcomers, our community can only grow stronger.” [6]

What can we do?

Everyone can help by:

Recognizing sign languages as real languages
Supporting deaf teachers and artists
Understanding that sign language is connected to Deaf identity and culture
Being a good ally to Deaf communities [9][10]

Remember: Learning about another culture should involve respect and understanding. Cultural exchange can be positive when both groups feel respected and included.