Deaf History & Culture: Why You Shouldn’t Ask a Deaf Person if They Can Lipread

In this episode we get a brief overview of Deaf history and culture, including the history of American Sign Language.

Carter begins the episode discussing his background and how he came to know ASL, and he shares an embarrassing story about the time he asked a Deaf person if they could lipread. Then we talk about the troublesome legacy of Alexander Graham Bell and his impact on Deaf education in America. 

Next, we discuss the history of American Sign Language and Gallaudet University.  From there, we tell the story of the “Deaf President Now” or “DPN” movement. We close with some comments on the cochlear implant debate, respectful language, and ideas for how to get involved in the Deaf community.