Recently, I stumbled across a hearing content creator with over 51K followers teaching sign language for income. At first glance, it might seem harmless—even helpful. But as I watched their videos, my heart sank. Cringe
- No mention of the word *Deaf.*
- No acknowledgment of Deaf culture.
- No mention of the Deaf community or events.
- No signposting to Deaf-led resources.
Just monetized content— ASL packaged for clicks and ad revenue.
It’s a perfect example of cultural appropriation in action.
ASL Is Not Just a Cute Trend
Too often, hearing influencers frame ASL as a “fun skill” or “great for teaching your baby to communicate before they can speak.” And while early communication can be beautiful, this mindset erases what ASL truly is—a complete, living language deeply tied to Deaf identity and culture.
For Deaf people, ASL is not a novelty or a side hustle—it’s lifeline. It’s how Deaf navigate work, relationships, community, and the world. When hearing influencers profit off ASL without crediting or supporting Deaf people, they strip the language of its history, struggles, and cultural richness.
When Deaf Creators Are Left Out of the Conversation, It Means:
- Lost income for Deaf educators and influencers – Many Deaf people make their living by sharingASL, interpreting Deaf culture, and offering workshops. When hearing influencers profit instead, they take away jobs and opportunities from those whose language it truly is.
- the Deaf community faces serious systemic employment gaps—not just in securing jobs, but in accessing equitable wages and career advancement. The marginally higher unemployment rate masks deeper challenges tied to social bias, communication barriers, and lack of access to workplace resources.
- Missed opportunities to learn Deaf culture – ASL is more than handshapes and signs; it carries history, values, and cultural etiquette. Without Deaf-led instruction, learners miss out on understanding how the language is woven into Deaf identity.
- Distorted learning – Hearing-led content often favors speed and “trendy” visuals over accurate grammar, facial expressions, and context. This leads to learners picking up watered-down or incorrect ASL, which harms communication with Deaf people.
- Centering hearing comfort over Deaf norms – Practices like using SimCom (signing and speaking English at the same time) prioritize hearing audiences while stripping away ASL’s unique grammar and visual beauty.
- Fewer Deaf role models in public spaces – When hearing creators dominate the algorithm, Deaf people—especially youth—see fewer of their own represented as leaders, experts, and influencers.
It’s like learning French from someone who’s never lived in France, never spoken to a native French person, and never even acknowledges French people exist.
Why You Should Follow Deaf Content Creators
If you truly want to learn ASL—or simply want to appreciate it—start with Deaf voices. Deaf creators live the language every day; it’s not just a skill they picked up, it’s woven into their identity, history, and culture.
Following Deaf educators, storytellers, comedians, vloggers, and community leaders means you:
- Get accurate, culturally grounded language instruction – ASL is more than handshapes; it’s facial expressions, grammar, and cultural nuance. Deaf teachers ensure you’re learning the real language, not a watered-down version for clicks.
- Support Deaf livelihoods and economic independence – With Deaf unemployment rates significantly higher than hearing peers, your views, shares, and purchases directly help Deaf professionals thrive in a audio-dominated economy.
- Stay connected to real events, causes, and stories – Deaf-led content keeps you informed about what matters in the community: advocacy efforts, cultural celebrations, and everyday life beyond the stereotypes.
When you center Deaf voices, you’re not just “learning a language”—you’re helping preserve a living culture, challenging audism, and building genuine connections.
A Call to Action
If you’re following a hearing influencer who teaches ASL but doesn’t acknowledge or amplify Deaf voices, ask them why. Challenge them to collaborate with Deaf creators, cite Deaf resources, and redirect some of that platform power to the community that owns the language.
ASL is not a prop
ASL is not a trend.
If you love ASL, love Deaf people enough to keep us at the center of it.
Stay tuned for part 2 – “How to Spot Hearing Appropriation in ASL Content”
This blog post was authored with the assistance of AI
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