Audism Unveiled Movie Worksheet/Discussion Answer Key
1. The movie begins with “Attention: The following movie is subtitled for the signingimpaired.” This is an example of Deaf humor but also what underlying message do you
think they are making known by doing so?
Answer: Hearing Impaired is disliked by most Deaf because it defines deaf solely in
terms of broken or defective ears that need fixing, or to be aided or corrected. Hearing
force expensive devices to make Deaf more “normal.” Labeling them “impaired” makes
them seem less capable, less human. Emphasis should be on the person not on the
impairment; on what Deaf are, not what they lack.
2. What were the 3 reasons that the first woman did not get hired for a job in Texas?
a. She was Black.
b. She was a Woman.
c. She was Deaf.
3. When in group conversations or watching movies without captions what response do
Deaf hate the most from hearing people?
a. It is not important
b. Tell you later
4. What is one punishment for signing in school?
Kneel on a broomstick with arms spread out
5. What are examples of discrimination throughout the world shown in the movie?
a. Parents cut out Deaf kid’s tongue
b. People refused to help deaf woman give birth for fear of touching her would make
them cursed.
6. When does oppression occur?
When people believed as a superior, control and dominate minority groups
7. Different names for oppression are:
a. Racism
b. Sexism
c. Heterosexism
8. Not until the year
1975
that a scholar named
felt it was time to find a name for oppression against Deaf.
Tom Humphries
9. What is “Audism?”
“Notion that one is superior based on one’s notion to hear and speak or behave in the
manner of one who hears and speaks.” “Or “A system of advantage based on hearing
ability.” There are several definitions….
10. Why do some view Deaf as “subhuman?”
What separates people from animals in spoken language is using tongue. What if
communication code is with hands? Considered unequal?
AUDISM & FAMILY:
11. What are forms of audism amongst families?
a. Lack of communication
b. Lack of support
c. Left out of conversations and family audism—examples are:
 “you wouldn’t understand”
 “it’s boring” (why are people laughing then?
 “wait a minute” and then never get told
 “never mind” and “tell you later”
 Being born deaf is considered punishment for family
 Isolated and left out
WHEN IS LATER TOO LATE?:
12. Write your thoughts on what happened to the man who’s Mom died and was never
able to communicate with him:
13.
69
% of Deaf children live in homes where members do NOT use sign
language regularly.
AUDISM CURE:
14. Why do some hearing families view having a deaf child as devastating?
They see deafness as a problem to be fixed.
15. How does religion supposedly cure deafness?
Cleanses the soul, protects body from harm, makes body “pure” human, and try to
anoint ears with holy oil.
16. After religion fails to cure deafness what do parents turn to?
Science and Medicine
17. What were some scientific methods for curing deafness?
a. Drilling holes into tubes from nose to ear and pumping chemicals through them.
Very painful.
b. X-ray to radiate the deafness out
c. Cochlear Implants
d. Conduction methods, horns, amplification machines, hearing aids
18. In the 19th and 20th centuries, a scientific movement in genetics began that was called :
Eugenics. What is it?
To identify the “pure” race
19. Three ways this movement prevented Deaf from entering the gene pool of the “pure”
race were:
a. Prevent them from entering the country
b. Force sterilization of deaf people in US
c. Euthanasia—Not practiced in US
20. How many sterilization laws did not include Deaf citizens?
30- But many families sterilized deaf relatives without consent
21. HGP stands for what?
Human Genome Project –mapped DNA
22. How many deaf genes were identified? 300-400
23. 3 ways to prevent deafness genetically are:
a. Preconception—In vitro fertilization—IVF screens for deafness
b. Pre-birth—Give Mom amniocentesis to test fetus for disorders (including deafness)
c. After birth—Stem cells to restore hearing—ex. Mouse with ear….
AUDISM: EDUCATION
24. What 2 things has Deaf education consisted of?
a. Medicine
b. Education
25. Historically, the educational system viewed sign as a language for animals. It was
thought by teaching speech, deaf students would be molded into normalization.
26. What was one way that teachers punished Deaf students for signing?
Whacked their hands with rulers
27. Historically sign was looked down upon until educators started to realize that Deaf
students were visual learners and sign language had value. Sign was brought into the
classroom. However, they saw it was not in
English so they manipulated it. This
was called:
MCE-Manually Coded English.
28. Simultaneous Communication was also used to keep speech in classrooms.
29. What does the act “I.D.E.A” stand for, and what was its purpose?
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act—Was to try to mainstream Deaf to least
restrictive environment.
30. Which is the least restrictive environment? Mainstreaming or Deaf Institutes?
Depends on Deaf individual’s feelings, experiences and attitude towards their own
learning experience and educational environmental preferences.
31. Society has long regarded Deaf people as
inferior
.
32. “DPN” not only influenced Gallaudet University but also:
a. Deaf Education
b. Closed Captioning
c. Legal Protection
33. Deaf can’t take
Audism
to court. However, discrimination is a legal term
for an action that warrants a lawsuit.
34. Deaf peoples’ resistance of oppression is revealed through their:
a.
b.
c.
d.
Literature
Film
Drama
Arts
35. What point do the Deaf emphasize at the end of the movie?
THEY ARE HUMAN