What is Audism?

The term racism has existed for a long time and is commonly talked about in everyday life. Yet, why did it take so long for the word “audism” to get coined, and why is it not commonly used as the term racism?

In 1975, Deaf scholar Tom Humphries gave a name to the prejudice—that hearing people are superior to non-hearing people—in his essay. Derived from the Latin word “audire,” meaning to hear, he named it “audism.” He defined the word as the perception that the ability to listen is superior. Although it gained little attention initially, the word became popularized when Harlan Lane expanded it in his 1992 book, “The Mask of Benevolence.”

Audism frequently appears as subtle barriers woven into everyday life. Some examples of audism include video content without subtitles, assuming Deaf people can not do things like driving, and approaching Deafness as a tragedy and something to feel sorry about.  

Furthermore, audism extends beyond individual prejudice, even to an institutional level. Employment and workplace discrimination is very common for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, as some employers assume communication would be too difficult. Yet, people should never be turned down from an opportunity just because they are Deaf/HoH, but given equal opportunity. 

Before Humphries coined the term audism, Deaf people lacked the word to even name the discrimination and prejudice they faced. Indeed, the creation of the word “audism” enabled Deaf individuals to articulate their experiences and share with others.