Two Communities, One Family: Experiences of young Deaf LGBT+ people living in a minority within a minority

Michaels, Paul; Gorman, Abigail

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the young Deaf1 LGBT+ community. We draw parallels to Third Culture Kids who are raised in a culture other than their parents which is often the case for Deaf children and almost entirely the case with young Deaf LGBT+ people. This community has a shared experience of growing up Deaf and LGBT+ which means that very often, meeting new people requires a degree of trust. Once that trust is built, there is strong support and acceptance from within the community. Certain cultural markers are examined within this chapter; these cultural markers identify a person as being involved with the Deaf LGBT+ community, including a sense of community, Gay Sign Variation, supporting other members of the community when access to information in a signed language is limited, keeping in touch, meeting up and acceptance of difference. We also look at the impact of how a lack of discussion around gender identity and sexual orientation can affect the identity of the young Deaf LGBT+ people and how their lives may have been different if discussions were conducted earlier on their life.

Citation

Michaels, P., & Gorman, A. (2020). Two Communities, One Family: Experiences of young Deaf LGBT+ people living in a minority within a minority. In A. Toft, & A. Franklin (Eds.), Young, disabled and LGBT+ voices, identities and intersections. Routledge

• Online Publication Date: Jan 23, 2020
• Publication Date: Jan 23, 2020
• Deposit Date: Mar 3, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 23, 2021
• Publisher: Routledge
• Series Title: Routledge research in gender and society
• Edition: 1st
• Book Title: Young, disabled and LGBT+ voices, identities and intersections.
• Chapter Number: 8
• ISBN: 9780367188146
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1628916
• Publisher URL: https://www.routledge.com/Young-Disabled-and-LGBT-Voices-Identities-and-Intersections-1st-Edition/Toft-Franklin/p/book/9780367188146