Sadly, not everyone teaching or posting about ASL has the Deaf community’s best interests at heart.
Here are red flags that the creator might be profiting off the language without respecting the culture:
1. No mention of the word “Deaf” – Avoids acknowledging the Deaf community entirely, treating ASL as just a “fun skill” or “cute trend.” Uses terminology like hearing loss, losing hearing, hearing impaired.
2. No ties to the Deaf community – do they attend or promote Deaf events, Deaf-owned businesses, or Deaf-led workshops?
3. Teaches without fluency – Limited signing ability or incorrect ASL grammar, but still charging for lessons or creating tutorials.
4. Focus on novelty over culture – Content is all about “teaching your baby to sign” or “party tricks,” not about Deaf life or accessibility.
5. No credit to Deaf creators – Uses ASL for entertainment or income without mentioning or uplifting Deaf teachers, artists, or advocates.
6. Frames ASL as a personal brand – The spotlight is on their personality, not on preserving and respecting a real language and culture.
7. Avoids hard topics – Skips conversations about audism, Deaf history, accessibility, and Deaf rights.
8. Uses English voice while signing (SimCom) – Simultaneous communication (signing and speaking English at the same time) dilutes ASL grammar, erases Deaf cultural norms, and centers hearing comfort over Deaf authenticity.
✅ Instead: Follow, share, and support Deaf-led accounts. These creators live and breathe ASL, they embody Deaf culture every single day and share perspectives rooted in real Deaf experiences. By engaging with their content, you’re not just learning vocabulary — you’re learning context, humor, history, and the lived realities that shape the language. No hearing imitator can provide that kind of authenticity.
Don’t just watch ASL lessons — watch real-life stories. Challenge your eyes, strengthen your receptive skills, and connect with the culture in ways that lessen judgment and grow understanding.
Yet, Deaf content creators statistically receive fewer followers and likes simply for being Deaf. That needs to change. Every follow, share, and like is more than support — it’s advocacy. It tells the algorithm, and the world, that Deaf voices matter.
Let’s uplift Deaf creators, amplify authentic stories, and make the digital space one where ASL and Deaf culture thrive. 🖤
This blog post was authored with the assistance of AI
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