Media

One in seven people in the UK are registered as deaf or with hearing impairment. One in seven, which is about 14%. Yes, we're in the minority, but not by my much. Consider this; 13% of the population in the UK is a redhead. So statistically speaking, we are more common than redheads.

Now look at the media. Look at magazines, books, TV... Other minorities, such as redheads, are portrayed more frequently than hearing impaired or deaf people. The media isn't proportional to the general population. Not that that's surprising - the media typically only shows good-looking, white, non-disabled people. That's Hollywood, get used to it. The media isn't reality.

So it's always a pleasent surprise when I am watching TV and a minor character is deaf, or I pick up a book and one of the characters is hearing impaired. What's even nicer is that it's not made a big deal about. Some people have hearing difficulties. It doesn't define us. It's just a small part of who we are.

I picked up a book in the airport the other day. A chick-lit. The synopsis said it was a book about the relationship about a mother and her daughter. I started reading it, and it turns out the daughter is hard of hearing. I loved that it wasn't made a big thing of, it just was.

I was reading one of my monthly magazines, DIVA, and in it there was an article about singsong performer Fletcher (look her up on youtube, JaynieF). She's deaf and signs at different musical events (one example; one of Ronan Keating's concerts).

One assumption is that deaf people don't enjoy music and have nothing to gain from it. People like Fletcher and Lee (check out lovesbth on youtube) prove this is wrong. We do enjoy music (though admittedly not all deaf people, as some believe it's part of the hearing world and should be kept that way).

But I'm going off on a tangent. I was just thrilled to see an article about her in what is a pretty high-selling magazine. It's nice to know that we aren't being ignored and kept in the dark like old days. We're going mainstream baby!

Deaf Girl