Let’s Normalize ASL and Deafness in Beauty

It’s not that there isn’t a representative out there…

I don’t want to stop until seeing a Deaf person in the beauty community becomes normal.

It’s not that there isn’t a representative out there… maybe even a couple (typically actresses)… but American Sign Language is a complete and full language.

And it’s native to the country with which I currently stand.

And that means that seeing a model (or journalist or marketer) who can use their language in ANY media should be as fluid as seeing an English speaker.

The Deaf community does not often regard deafness as a disability. It is our culture (even if, like me, it was found later in life), and it is our right (how “well” you talk does not ever determine if a Deaf person “should” verbalize to accommodate a hearing counterpart).

There are many Deaf people who speak well by hearing lens standards but use ASL as their preferred expression because the hearing world understanding them holds no bearing on if the hearing worlds tries to make sure understanding is equitable. I used to not use my voice, then began to for a variety of reasons, but I regret it often as I feel high anxiety at missed guesses, worries over context clues or stressing if I replied in the wrong way. My eyelined eyes are weary from reading lips all day; my brain fatigues and fakes it… Throwing away access so we can get on with it.

There are many Deaf people who cannot speak but whose poetic elocution will never be seen as equal. An Amanda Gorman or Sarojini Naidu could be in your midst and you’d never know because so many think of sign language as spoken words turned into gestures.

There not only is a different sign language for most countries around the globe, if you didn’t know (it’s okay: many don’t!)… but we have accents (you sure as sh*t know I can spot New York on someone’s hands), subcultures, and so much more: ALL in its own syntaxt.

It is a complete language that is just for America: the land of disregarding every language that we don’t regard as native… including the ones native to us.

What does this have to do with beauty? Lately, I’ve felt a fire lit inside to fight for more Deaf creatives in beauty journalism.

If I’m gifted enough to live in a world where THE Danessa Myricks has gifted me with her genius product system (someone who has redefined representation in beauty one breakthrough product texture and shade range at a time, all as a female boss)… then I live in a world where beauty reviews, press and modeling should and could be in sign languages as much as spoken word.

Thank you, Danessa, for not making me a token Deaf beauty fan.

Let’s normalize ASL and Deafness in beauty…

And AS beauty.