Deaf role models
Who was your role model? Were they deaf too?
Growing up in a rural area of Upstate New York didn’t give me the opportunity to meet Deaf adults to look up to. So who did I look up to? I knew of Marlee Matlin, the famous deaf actress and Heather Whitestone, first deaf Miss America. So that’s who I looked up to as a child. Both are two Deaf women on polar opposite of the spectrum.
Marlee Matlin is a well known Deaf actress and activist today. Her performance in the movie ‘Children of a Lesser God’ in 1986 earned her an Academy Award and Golden Globe award. She had acted in several movies and TV shows since then, which included ‘Switched at Birth’ and the recent released ‘CODA’ movie. Matlin released a book ‘Deaf Child Crossing’ during my pre-teen years, early 2000s. I was in awe of her ability as a Deaf person being in Hollywood. I wished that there were MORE famous Deaf people.
Credit: Marlee Matlin’s instagram.
Heather Whitestone was the first Deaf woman to win Miss America in 1995. I was too young to understand at the time about Miss America and beauty pageants. I had learned about her afterwards. During my pre-teen years, she was doing a lot of work with Starkey Hearing Aid Foundation as their spokesperson. I wrote to her (the snail mail way!) about my deafness and how impressed I was with her accomplishments with Miss America.
Credit: Heather Whitestone McCallum’s instagram.
Marlee and Heather lost their hearing at 18 months due to illness. They identified themselves as Deaf but were on the opposite side of the spectrum. What does that mean exactly? In the present day, Marlee Matlin is a strong advocate of using American Sign Language (ASL). Although I do need to point out that she has the ability to speak and previously (maybe still currently?) wore hearing aids during my childhood years. Heather Silverstone grew up orally/verbal. She didn’t use sign language until her senior year in high school. Heather was more mainstreamed in the hearing world, even getting her cochlear implants in her adulthood.
During my childhood, we didn’t have Internet where I could’ve had an easy access to many other Deaf role models that were out there. My mom clipped newspaper articles during my childhood to show me anything about Deaf people. I started seeing more and more of Deaf examples in my late teens years/college years. The media started having more exposure of the Deaf community. The TV show ‘Switched at Birth’ really opened many eyes about the Deaf culture.
In my small town in Upstate New York, there were a few Deaf adults but I didn’t have many interactions with them. I did attend some meetings when I was in my high school years. I didn’t find a connection with them back then. There weren’t many others that I could relate to, so it was difficult to find role models, famous or regular folks, to really look up to. I might’ve had Marlee and Heather to look up to, but I didn’t want the same exact goals as them. I did learn that their Deafness didn’t stop them from achieving their goals so that is what was inspiring to me as a kid.
While I was at college in Rochester, Marlee Matlin released a book ‘I’ll Scream Later’ in 2009. As part of the book release, she toured several cities which included a stop in Rochester. It was surreal to meet her at my college in person after idolizing her my entire childhood. I was so starstruck that when it was my turn for her to sign my book, I froze. I didn’t know what to say! I didn’t say a word! She smiled warmly and thanked me for coming. Oh, how I wish I could go back now and say everything. How she inspired me to achieve the impossible. Don’t let my deafness stop me from my passions. How she gave me that hope that Deaf can do it. Maybe someday again I will get that chance!
When I met Marlee Matlin at RIT, 2008.
Now, it’s different with social media and technology gaining more accessibility to Deaf kids today. They know about Deaf role models out there who are singers, artists, business owners, performers, etc. The kids have their pick now on who to look up to. I’m glad that there are more successful Deaf people out there to be that role model for a Deaf kid to look up to!