Alexander Bell, like his family, encouraged oralism and deaf intermarriage. These speech abilities, Bell argued, were critical for deaf Americans’ socialization as well as their social and work progress. Bell observed that deaf individuals preferred to marry one another. He claimed that if this pattern were maintained, a deaf subspecies of humans would emerge at a vital juncture in American history. Bell listed signing boarding schools, deaf publications, clubs, and organizations as elements that increased the use of sign language and deaf marriages. He proposed preventative steps to avoid the spread of genetic deafness.
Dr. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet began the development of American Sign Language in 1814. Gallaudet had a deaf daughter and set basic language rules so that he could communicate with her effortlessly. Before his death, he established a school for the deaf, which his family continued to operate after his demise. Deaf President Now (DPN) was a movement at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., in March 1988. The demonstrations began because the school’s governing board chose a hearing candidate over a deaf candidate. Deaf President Now has increased the hearing world’s understanding of deaf concerns and provided new job possibilities for deaf people.
Nonetheless, the deaf culture made by various pioneers like Alexander Bell has created a sense of belonging for deaf people. There are deaf parents with hearing children and hearing parents with deaf children. The deaf community can also do much, such as play instruments, produce films, dance, act, and sing. Furthermore, not all deaf individuals require sign language because some can read people’s lips, allowing them to communicate with those who do not understand sign language. Hearing loss should not prevent people from perceiving deaf individuals as equals; thus, they should be welcomed and accommodated.