I've always wanted to write a book relating my experiences growing up as a deaf child in Chicago. Contrary to what people might think, it wasn't all about hearing aids and speech classes or frustrations.
Marlee MatlinRead
The handicap of deafness is not in the ear; it is in the mind.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Deafness is a physical condition, but the real limitation lies in how we perceive and respond to it mentally.
Marlee Matlin's quote emphasizes that the challenges faced by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing are not solely due to their hearing loss, but significantly influenced by societal perceptions and attitudes. It suggests that overcoming barriers relies more on mindset and acceptance rather than physical capabilities, encouraging a broader understanding of disability and empowerment.
Themes
DeafnessMindsetPerceptionChallengesEmpowerment
In practice
Example use cases
In a workshop about overcoming personal challenges, one might say this quote to inspire participants.
More from Marlee Matlin
All quotes βI'm a proud person who happens to be deaf. I don't want to change it. I don't want to wake up and suddenly say, 'Oh my God, I can hear.' That's not my dream. It's not my dream. I've been raised deaf. I'm used to the way I am. I don't want to change it. Why would I ever want to change? Because I'm used to this, I'm happy.
Marlee MatlinRead
It was ability that mattered, not disability, which is a word I'm not crazy about using.
Marlee MatlinRead
The only thing I can't do is hear. I can drive, I have a life with four kids, I work on TV, I do movies, so the deafness question, is it that they want to know because, what? Not sure.
Marlee MatlinRead
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, and in spite of what most people might have expected from a young girl growing up deaf, life for me was like one long episode of The Brady Bunch. Despite whatever barriers were in my way, I imagined myself as Marcia Brady skating down the street saying βhiβ to everyone, whether they knew me or not.
Marlee MatlinRead
When I was 11, I knew that I wanted to write a kid's book and tell the world what it was like being deaf.
Marlee MatlinRead
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