I’ve always been an independent person. Growing up Deaf in a hearing world, I learned how to adapt, figure things out and find ways to communicate, even when accessibility wasn’t available. But something I’ve come to realize is that when you’re good at adapting, people begin to assume you don’t need support.
I worked for an organization for eight years where an interpreter was never provided. During meetings, a colleague would type what was being said so I could follow along. I appreciated the effort, but looking back, how much information did I actually receive? Was I participating equally, or simply getting enough information to carry on with my work?
The organization arranged a workshop over a few days to help colleagues get to know one another. It was led by a hearing person and included some Deaf perspectives, but the content was superficial. We spent time learning about each other without really addressing the communication barriers I experienced every day.
Then my boss required me to take an English course because my communication was considered too direct or blunt.
That experience stayed with me. ASL and English are two different languages, with different structures and ways of expressing ideas. I’m naturally direct, and I appreciate clear communication. But apparently, I needed to learn how to soften my words, make my emails more polite and add all that fluffy language to get what I needed to do my job.
What I found interesting was that my hearing colleagues could also be direct, express frustration or disagree with others. I didn’t see myself as being much different from them. Yet my communication style was something that needed correcting.
Why was I expected to adapt to their communication preferences when so little effort was made to understand mine?
Of course, communication challenges, personality differences and unfair workplace expectations aren’t exclusive to Deaf employees. Hearing employees experience them too. Some people are naturally direct, others are more diplomatic, and everyone has different ways of expressing themselves. But when you’re Deaf, those differences can become another reason to single you out rather than recognize that communication is a shared responsibility.
I worked hard, rarely made mistakes and took my responsibilities seriously. Yet for eight years, my salary never increased. I watched others receive raises while my pay stayed the same.
I can’t say what influenced those decisions, but I certainly questioned them. Was my work being evaluated fairly? Did my communication style affect how people perceived me? Was my independence making it easier to overlook my contributions?
And this isn’t just about Deaf employees. Anyone can be overlooked, undervalued or expected to work harder without recognition. But for Deaf employees, language differences and communication barriers can add another layer of misunderstanding that influences how others perceive our abilities and contributions.
We talk a lot about helping Deaf people find employment, but what happens after they’re hired? Are they receiving equal opportunities for advancement, professional development and recognition? Or are employers simply satisfied that they’re managing?
I think this is something many organizations overlook. Deaf employees often become very resourceful because we’ve had to be. We learn to work around communication barriers, figure out what we’ve missed and adjust ourselves to fit into environments that weren’t designed with us in mind.
And because we manage, people assume everything is fine.
But managing doesn’t mean we have equal access. Being quiet doesn’t mean we understand everything. And being independent doesn’t mean we should be expected to do without accommodations.
Looking back, I realize how much I accepted as normal. I was so focused on doing my job and meeting expectations that I didn’t always question whether those expectations were fair.
Today, as a Deaf educator and accessibility consultant, I encourage employers to look beyond whether an employee is getting the work done. Ask whether they have the same access, opportunities and recognition as everyone else.
If someone’s communication style is different, don’t immediately assume it needs correcting. If a Deaf employee is doing well without an interpreter, don’t assume one isn’t needed. And if someone is consistently doing good work, recognize their contributions fairly.
Sometimes the problem isn’t that employers think Deaf people are incapable. It’s that they see us managing so well that they forget how much we’re doing just to keep up.
This is a workplace issue that can affect anyone. But when differences in language, culture or communication become reasons to treat someone differently, we need to question whether we’re evaluating their work or simply judging how well they fit our expectations.
Don’t mistake someone’s ability to work around barriers for proof that those barriers don’t exist.
