Just because a title ranks low on the list doesn’t necessarily mean the representation is bad it may just be that the deaf character is in the background, so there’s not much to judge.I am not ranking these stories based on plot or themes, but on the representation of deafness based on my own understandings (from firsthand experiences, stories written/recounted by other deaf individuals, and academic literature).I only rank stories I have read in full.(Yes, these comics are ranked as well.) Eventually I’m going to establish my own publishing company that prioritizes and amplifies #OwnVoice authors.īefore I get into my ranking, I want to make a few things clear: Always have been and always will be! In May 2022 I earned a Master’s in Deaf Studies at Gallaudet University, where my thesis was analyzing representations of deafness in Marvel comics. Those of you who follow the Modcast already know that I, Leigh Ann, am deaf. I do not rank stories and fanfics posted on sites (e.g., Wattpad and Ao3) because I need to have limits/parameters for this blog.

Humanoid aliens or humanoid mythical creatures (e.g., centaurs or fairies) are okay. I do not rank stories whose deaf characters are animals, such as bats, dogs, cats, etc. Note 2: I do not rank poetry or plays here, mostly because I struggle to read them. Every book can easily be bumped up or down by a better representation. Note: This post will be updated as I read more books with deaf characters. (It also provides you with a reference / guide to reading deaf lit!) You can click the genres below to jump to the section or simply keep scrolling. So I decided to go on a quest to find as many fiction books as possible portraying deaf characters, and rank these representations from best to not-best by genre. When it comes to representation in literature, deafness is very rare.

Hue and cry by elizabeth yates review