If you mention the television show Switched at Birth to a Deaf person, it is likely that
they will know what you are referring to, and perhaps even have watched it themselves. Popularized for its one of a kind plot and characters, Switched at Birth documents the lives of two teenagers, one Deaf and the other hearing, that grew up in the “wrong” families. Through unique storylines, the show not only introduces Deaf culture and American Sign Language (ASL) to hearing people, but provides an accurate portrayal of it. Switched at Birth is also groundbreaking in that many of the cast members are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing, and use ASL as their native language.
On March 4th, 2013, Switched at Birth once again broke barriers and become the first …show more content…
Anybody who has studied even the smallest amount of Deaf
history would recognize this to be a parallel to the 1988 Deaf President Now (DPN) protests at
Gallaudet. In this case, students at the university were angry that a Deaf president had not been chosen for their school. Gallaudet was regarded as a place where students could fully embrace their
Deaf identity, yet it had never had a president that represented the population. When the former president retired in 1987, two of the candidates to hold the position next were Deaf. The students were optimistic that they would finally be led by one of their own, so when the Board selected a hearing woman, Elisabeth Zinser, it was the last straw for many. For one week, Gallaudet students marched the streets of Washington, and put their school under siege. They showed the world that they may have been Deaf, but they were loud, proud, and would not stop until they got what they wanted. At the end of the week, their demands to have Zinser and the chair of the board resign, to have the majority of the board be Deaf, and to not be punished for the protests were met. This victory is still one of the most highly regarded events in the Deaf
they will know what you are referring to, and perhaps even have watched it themselves. Popularized for its one of a kind plot and characters, Switched at Birth documents the lives of two teenagers, one Deaf and the other hearing, that grew up in the “wrong” families. Through unique storylines, the show not only introduces Deaf culture and American Sign Language (ASL) to hearing people, but provides an accurate portrayal of it. Switched at Birth is also groundbreaking in that many of the cast members are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing, and use ASL as their native language.
On March 4th, 2013, Switched at Birth once again broke barriers and become the first …show more content…
Anybody who has studied even the smallest amount of Deaf
history would recognize this to be a parallel to the 1988 Deaf President Now (DPN) protests at
Gallaudet. In this case, students at the university were angry that a Deaf president had not been chosen for their school. Gallaudet was regarded as a place where students could fully embrace their
Deaf identity, yet it had never had a president that represented the population. When the former president retired in 1987, two of the candidates to hold the position next were Deaf. The students were optimistic that they would finally be led by one of their own, so when the Board selected a hearing woman, Elisabeth Zinser, it was the last straw for many. For one week, Gallaudet students marched the streets of Washington, and put their school under siege. They showed the world that they may have been Deaf, but they were loud, proud, and would not stop until they got what they wanted. At the end of the week, their demands to have Zinser and the chair of the board resign, to have the majority of the board be Deaf, and to not be punished for the protests were met. This victory is still one of the most highly regarded events in the Deaf