When someone starts studying a new language, they learn about more than just syntax and grammar rules – they also learn about the culture. Culture and language are deeply intertwined, and the way we communicate with one another plays a huge role in shaping cultural norms and expectations. The language or languages we speak, write, and/or sign help us build communities and connect with other people who share the same values and experiences that we have.
The connection between language and culture is particularly strong for American Sign Language (ASL) speakers, many of whom consider themselves part of America’s large and vibrant Deaf community. America’s Deaf community is made up of millions of people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, but through speaking ASL, the Deaf community has created a Deaf culture that can be found across the United States. For many ASL speakers, Deaf culture represents a culture of full inclusion for deaf people, where people can communicate in ASL without stigma or judgment.
Even though deaf culture exists everywhere people speak sign language, non-deaf people are often unaware of Deaf culture, and there is little representation of Deaf culture in popular media. This lack of representation can perpetuate stigma against ASL-speakers, who still face discrimination at the hands of the United States’ dominant hearing culture.
“Lack of awareness and opportunity for direction communication with Deaf people can create barriers for human connection.”
Though deaf representation in popular media is still lacking, there has been some recent progress. Netflix’s popular reality TV series “The Circle” just revealed that there will be a Deaf player in the show’s fifth season. Raven Sutton, a Survivor Resource Specialist for deaf survivors of violence at Deaf DAWN in D.C., will be the show’s first Deaf contestant. Sutton’s appearance on the show represents a big step forward in Deaf representation on TV – Sutton will be one of the only reality TV contestants to use ASL while competing. She is also using an interpreter during the competition.
“The Circle” follows a group of contestants as they compete online for a $100,000 prize. In the game, contestants can choose how they present themselves to other players. They can advertise their genuine personalities or adopt a fake personality and “catfish” other contestants to get ahead in the competition. Sutton is a proud advocate for the Deaf community, and, according to an interview she did on Good Morning America, she believes her presence on the show will make Deaf culture more visible in the United States. As it stands, deaf and hard-of-hearing characters are infrequently represented on television and in the media. Seeing a deaf person compete on a popular reality show could change the way deaf people are perceived in American culture.
“With more & more Deaf people in the mainstream media, this opens the windows to the Deaf experiences and a celebration of what makes Deaf culture unique & beautiful,” said Borkowski.
For students interested in learning more about American Sign Language and deaf culture, Purdue University offers a 100% online ASL certificate. Students who complete the certificate will develop a foundational understanding of ASL and become more effective and expressive ASL communicators. The certificate also covers aspects of deaf culture and the historical and cultural significance of ASL.
“When one learns ASL, this allows for true human connection with a Deaf person which is not possible when other types of communication tools are used; for example, lipreading, writing, texting, use of a sign language interpreter. Having some familiarity with ASL is a great way of connecting with Deaf people and culture.”
To learn more about Purdue’s 100% online ASL Certificate, please visit the program’s webpage. Watch Raven Sutton on “The Circle” Season Five, streaming on Netflix.
