What Is Audism?

Audism is discrimination against deaf people. It happens when people believe that hearing is better than being deaf. Audism makes deaf people feel bad and creates barriers in their daily lives.

Understanding Audism

The word “audism” was created in 1975 by Tom Humphries, a deaf researcher. He wanted to describe unfair treatment of deaf people. Audism is judging people based on their hearing ability.[1][2]

Audism means treating deaf people as if they are not as good as hearing people. It assumes that deaf people need to be “fixed” or made more like hearing people. This thinking is wrong because deaf people have their own culture and language.[3][4][1]

Different Types of Audism

Audism happens in different ways:

Personal audism – when individual people have negative feelings about deaf people. For example, refusing to talk to a deaf person or thinking they are not smart.[5][1]

Institutional audism – when schools, hospitals, or workplaces make rules that exclude deaf people. This includes not providing sign language interpreters or forcing deaf children to speak instead of sign.[6][2]

Internal audism – when deaf people themselves believe that hearing is better than being deaf. Some deaf people may feel ashamed of being deaf or try to hide it from others.[7]

How Audism Feels for Deaf People

Deaf people experience audism every day. Here are common examples:

People saying “never mind” or “I’ll tell you later” when asked to repeat something[2][5]
Refusing to learn simple signs or write things down to communicate[8][9]
Making phone calls for deaf people without asking if they want help[2]
Commenting on how “well” a deaf person speaks[8]
Rolling their eyes or showing negative body language when communicating with deaf people[5]
Treating Deaf people as if they are poor, less capable, or dependent, rather than equal

Many deaf people share painful memories. One person said: “I was being constantly mocked. Schoolmates were reluctant to help me when I needed to copy their notes”. Another explained feeling isolated: “There are people who take me as an equal and others who do not for their reluctance”.[10]

Effects on Deaf Communities

Audism hurts deaf people and their communities. It can cause low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Many deaf people feel “alienated and misunderstood” because of constant discrimination.[11]

The COVID-19 pandemic made audism worse. Face masks made it impossible for deaf people to read lips. Television news often forgot to include sign language interpreters, leaving many deaf people without important information.[10]

Fighting Against Audism

Understanding audism is the first step to stopping it. Deaf communities worldwide work to educate people and change unfair attitudes. They organize events, share their stories, and advocate for equal rights.[4]

Simple changes can help reduce audism:

Learning basic signs or carrying paper to communicate
Looking directly at deaf people when speaking
Providing sign language interpreters in schools and workplaces
Recognizing sign language as a real language, not just gestures

Moving Forward

Audism still exists in many European countries and around the world. But awareness is growing. When people understand that deafness is not a problem to fix but a different way of experiencing life, attitudes slowly change.

Deaf people have their own rich culture, language, and community. They do not need to be “cured” – they need society to accept them as equals. Fighting audism means creating a world where deaf people can live fully and proudly.

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