Switched at Birth "And that's what I'm fighting for!"

[@nicholasjonas2505]

many people are wondering why deaf people have such animated faces. It's because of this. When we hearing people want to use sarcasm, or express emotions, we change the tone of our voices. It's a subtle thing, but it makes all the difference. Deaf people can't do that for obvious reasons. So they rely heavily on body language and facial postures. That's how they express sarcasm or emotions.

[@Bfolks84]

Yea but it’s also grammar. Facial expressions is part of the grammatical structure of asl

[@samgraham7265]

yeah duh everyone could figure that out on their own

[@positivityandpeace3548]

Deaf people that are oral can

[@juliamiller5120]

As a hearing person, I 100% agree with Melody. And it’s not just the deaf. People who are deaf, blind, autistic, adhd, gay, transgender, Down syndrome, really anyone that falls outside the scope of the average person, is at some point made to feel like a freak in society just for being who they are. But when you put a bunch of those kids in one place together, it becomes their space. The place they can speak and act freely. Where they can get actual resources and help for what they’re going through. A safe environment for a kid is so so vital. And if someone can’t see why that’s important, then trying to explain it to them is a lost cause.

[@fatixa6792]

You're kind of... missing the point. Gay people don't need a "gay school". They can integrate just fine in mainstream, i mean.. its nice to have lgbt club and safe spaces, but its not at all comparable to deaf vs hearing people. A gay or autistic person could feel like nobody understands them metaphorically, but a deaf person in a hearing asl-free environment literally cannot be understood. Its a language issue, not identity

[@juliamiller5120]

@@fatixa6792 you think language isn’t a huge part of identity?

[@fatixa6792]

@@juliamiller5120 obviously by saying language i meant "communication"

[@Supahpowahnerd890]

1:21 You can see Melody is thinking, "Not quite", but she forces a smile and validates her feelings. It's plain to see that it's a conversation she's had numerous times before. Explaining the nuance would take much longer, that while Kathryn is making an earnest effort, she still has a long way to go and will never truly understand what it's like to be deaf.

[@user-lz2hi9hk6g]

This is a great clip. Switched at Birth does a great job with shedding light on the different conversations that are had within the deaf community and with hearing people.

[@littlemen9917]

Switched at birth is my life because it taught me Sign language :) ❤️🌹

[@69MidnightMoon]

Exactly how it was for me in school. i was the deaf kid in a hearing school. Of course, i was in denial, i didn't want to be deaf, so I was stubborn and tried to be a hearing person. I didn't want to be the deaf kid. But I was. Students were mean as hell to me, same with teachers. Some kept pointing it out that i had a hearing problem instead of actually helping me. I had no form of help in school. I had friends, but some pretended to be my friend and took advantage of me. I was bullied and had very low self-esteem. It was a miracle that I passed High School. When I got to college, I got the help I needed. They never pointed out my problem, they showed me programs what I could use to help my hearing loss, it was still a struggle though every start of a semester when I had to buy my books in the college bookstore cause at times, a lady with a bullhorn would call out names. Like students with the last names beginning with A-D. After what happened in high school, I pushed my pride away and finally admitted to myself I have a problem and I need help. Pardon my language but fu** what people thought of me. I got the help I needed and passed college with flying colors. Now I'm working on finding a job. Which is hard cause too many ask for people with normal hearing. :-/

[@PiscesGal]

I'm so sorry sweetie *hugs* I'm a hearing person and I never have, and never will treat a deaf person bad nor take advantage of them, and it enrages me when other hearing people do it rather than educate themselves. I was bullied myself in school and I understand how hurtful it is.

[@25803]

hey, I can relate because I had fake friends too.. hang in there okay.

[@fdfdffdfdfdf6774]

My entire life, I was those 'friends' you said took advantage of you. I had everything I wanted, and always looked down at this girl who had hearing issues, similar to your situation. I'd tease her for having hearing aids and say horrible things about her right in front of her, she was so hard of hearing she had no idea. Everything changed when I realized I had pneumonia last year, but it was too, late and our options were running out. I can barely hear now. Karma taught me well that in a split second everything you know and love can be taken from you. I use to be super into music. I could play piano and sing, but now I can't even hear the music. I had such a promising future up until now. I've gotta learn how to sign, and get used to the discrimination I'll face. It's like learning how to live after being thrown into an alternate universe. I'm a senior in high school now, and have lost nearly all of the people I thought were my friends. I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but it truly did teach me a lesson.

[@melissawilliams6635]

SongWolfWriter, was there really a program for hearing kids to attend deaf school like Bay did at Carlton? I've never ever heard of one here in North Carolina. I'm not deaf, I'm hearing and I'm fluent in American Sign Language. I have family and friends who are deaf including my handsome and amazing boyfriend Joel.

[@addie-eileenpaige6460]

Good for you! As hard as it is, it's not good to find your self worth or value from what other people say about you. Growing up, I was shy, and awkward. People would say stuff about me. Even family members got mad at me for not socializing. It was tough for me. Now, I moved cross country solo, have a degree in applied math and statistics, and work a job I really enjoy.

[@katherinepoindexter4380]

as a hearing person believe it or not, I agree with Marlee's character. the Deaf have the right to have a place for themselves. a place where they can interact with one another without feeling as though they are freaks. I worked with Deaf/deaf students and I wish on many occasion that they could go to a Deaf school so they could find an identity as a child that was all their own.

[@pmparda]

I get that but would it be the opposite in this case? We are not talking about a hanfull of deaf kids in between hundrends of hearing. They make up a whole school! The hearing kids would probably feel like outsiders

[@milirodriguez8493]

I see your point.We want everyone to have their rights(in this case),people who are deaf but I feel that we shouldnt be seperated between the hearing and the deaf but instead be mixed as one.Thats what makes it "outsiders" when people are divide and classified in their own groups(in general with race,social status,gender,etc)

[@DisWldFrk90]

I'm hearing and I agree with you as well. I grew up in Deaf culture as my aunt is deaf. Something a lot of hearing people do not understand is how much work deaf people have to do around hearing individuals. They can be around the friendliest, most patient hearing people in the world but it still requires work to be around them unless the hearing person is completely fluent in sign language. This is especially a problem in school as communication with hearing students, even if they are a pro lip-reader, constantly requires work unless the other student can fluently sign. This naturally leads to isolation even if everyone meant well as they just simply can't follow a conversation with the hearing kids because...well they can't hear. They need a place where they can relax, be themselves, and not have to do as much work as usual. School is honestly the best place for it as it gives them the best chance at being a normal child/teenager as they can interact with other deaf students just the same as hearing students interact with each other without doing so much work. It'll also greatly boost self-esteem and decrease the feeling of isolation as this is the most crucial age to build that and the age where the most damage can be done by isolation. The goal in school is for the student to grow to be successful. The most important way to do that is communication. For deaf people, sign language is their way to communicate. Unless hearing people all become fluent in it, they cannot possibly communicate as well with them. They need other deaf people. A lot of hearing people also don't seem to understand that another reason many deaf people do not want to necessarily "come together" with hearing folks (as Katherine suggested) is they know what is going to happen. While there are plenty of kind hearing people who would work with them, much of the world is a hearing world that doesn't want to make adjustments and would rather not adapt to them. They know the hearing world is going to demand they adapt to the hearing world rather than the hearing world adapt more to them. The hearing world has already tried to silence them/pretend they don't exist in the past. They've made so much progress since then and they are not going to risk going backwards when the world has not adapted to them enough just yet. There's horror stories of deaf students, as little as 30 years ago, in hearing schools where they weren't allowed to sign and were forced to essentially pretend they were hearing. Even doctors used to recommend that for parents of deaf children to try to force them to talk. What stopped the damage that came from that was not integrating with more hearing people. It was Deaf schools where the children could finally communicate better which lead to much more successful adults.

[@DisWldFrk90]

@@pmparda They wouldn't all go to the same hearing school. They would all be scattered across different local public schools with whatever distract they fall into. Most deaf schools are not like hearing schools in the sense that you need to live in certain boundaries of the neighborhood in order to go there. They often have a broad range of students who live in various places. I can guarantee many of these students all live in completely opposite ends of each other in different neighborhoods. Even in the biggest city, there's no way this many deaf students would all live in one district. They have to have to open for kids of many districts.

[@katherinepoindexter4380]

@@pmparda This is not about hearing kids it is about Deaf Culture and protecting the Deaf/deaf children being singled out. Hearing kids need hearing schools. Deaf kids need Deaf Schools. There is the Deaf Culture that needs to be thought of as a place for the Deaf. . Many hearing people, in fact the vast majority of them, have been looking at Deafness all wrong. They don't look at the Deaf Culture but they instead try to make them hearing. many Deaf people have one complaint from childhood ant that is their parents tried to make them hearing and they felt isolated and only found identity in the Deaf Culture. . ASL is not English it is a very different language like German is to English. If I had a Deaf Child I would send them to a Deaf School so they can have an identity and not feel isolated.

[@addie-eileenpaige6460]

Total respect to Melody for standing for what she believes in. 💪

[@camillewiley7624]

I love this scene. Marlee is my hero. I feel this everyday at school with my hearing.

[@chefericperez]

drama argument in drama club... total sense to me

[@littlemen9917]

Yeah that does make sense

[@littlemen9917]

Never mind oof

[@jelesemanassa92]

A hearing person could never get the life of a deaf person but some hearing people understand what deaf people are coming from like their perspective and can respect it

[@saraharias2022]

Watching this I saw where both sides were coming from.

[@thatpantransguy]

00:33 I shit you not the lady in the red and dark color stripe long sleeve shirt is my ASL professor at my college! Wow! She never told us that!

[@aradda555]

she is soooo powerful this is just speechless

[@saragarcia-np9xs]

I miss this show

[@saraharias2022]

This play to get them to work together did better than that little camp retreat in my opinion. Deaf and hearing should coexist but at the same time it isn’t like or should I say it isn’t always like that in the real world or at schools. Someone is different than they are the outsider. As a hearing person and women of color, I can say Melody is right in the sense that they need to fight for the rights and opportunities for deaf kids especially since board views them as disposable and keeps cutting the funding. But I see the Kathryn side as the world needs to see more deaf and hearing side by side and not divided.

[@dashaunthompson6785]

Even though I’m hearing I completely understand why Melody fought for the right.

[@dontmindme.imjustafraidofe9327]

Me, too.

[@disneygeek1228]

At my school we have deaf kids too, I’m taking a sign language class and I’m hoping that I use the signs I learn in conversations with other hearing kids so I practice and maybe a deaf person can join in or something, and so I can teach my 5 year old brother and 2 year old siser

[@rachelo7075]

Love her facial expressions that is why I’m fighting for lol

[@meganswistak1144]

I truly believe the Immersion program at Carlton could have been great. The problem was that it was executed poorly. They sent students to a school to study and socialize in a language they didnt know. Teo couldn’t even ask where the front office was. And sure it draws a parallel to how deaf students are at hearing schools, but your telling me they didn’t bother to give the hearing students an ASL proficiency test to make sure they even somewhat understood the language?

[@melissanicole1969]

Marlin is a very good actor I love watching her acting she is still pretty

[@epilepsywarrior7395]

I'm 50/50 on this ... Yes they have a school that they can feel comfortable, safe and accepted is great. Yet I feel that they try to push the hearing who truly have intentions away.

[@KoriEmerson]

Their whole lives, the hearing have tried to make them MORE like hearing. They have constantly been looked at as ohhh.. poor deaf.. worse.. hearing impaired... If the drama teacher character actually signed, if she was honestly involved with the community . The Deaf want to be allowed to be Deaf.

[@katymvt]

@@KoriEmerson She's not the drama teacher, she's a volunteering parent.

[@christinalisk9104]

What's worse, they don't include room for people who are hard of hearing. Neither here nor there. Walking in the middle is really hard, and as can be seen in the hearing program, there were students who were hard of hearing learning to sign because they knew they'd become deafer. Getting rid of the hearing program lumped hard of hearing students in with hearing people. They should've pushed for a hard of hearing program to open up Carlton, not lumped hard of hearing kids with hearing students. A lot of hard of hearing people face the same struggle of hearing people forcing them to be "more hearing." I should know, I got a lot of pressure to have corrective surgery to be more hearing, and I still face a lot of discrimination because the surgery wasn't fully effective. That middle line is an extremely hard one to walk, and the polarization between the two communities does not make it easier.

[@BLAKEXXX]

I must always crying on this Scene !!

[@TyrekeCorrea]

Melody is right, but I think the situation for deaf students in mainstream (hearing) schools is not entirely hopeless if hearing people really make the effort to connect with and involve deaf people.

[@TyrekeCorrea]

Things are perfectly clear; this is about a refusal to connect because of attitude.

[@IfyouBelleve]

I think it’s good for there to be a mix because unfortunately in the real world we will meet others who don’t speak the same language and we need to learn to deal with those situations. But unfortunately bullying does take place whether your hearing or deaf or have a disability or speak another language. I wish teachers, parents can try to teach children to be more respectful to each other’s differences than male them feel like outcasts

[@nitrogenjutsu5178]

As a 50/50 hearing person it’s like I was still the deaf kid in a mainstream school. It just comes to show that you don’t have to have a disability to be an outcast.

[@phoebe4619]

I really wanna watch this show but I don't know where to watch because it's not on Netflix anymore and I think the show looks interesting.

[@Supahpowahnerd890]

If I recall, it's on Freeform.

[@melindahunt4948]

I would love to meet Marlee Matlin, but if course, I need to get better on my sign language.

[@Who_hack_here]

Facing impossible situation find my way out related my identity situation for years. Trying to find other resources as I have run out entire resources for years. Anybody have idea?

[@Who_hack_here]

I’m also facing need tort, litigation, civil rights, identity theft/ medical theft attorney include breach network system which made my breakthrough impossible. I really wish to know what am I up against. On top of everything my health diagnosis is unique which makes my case even more harder to do it alone in impossible situation I’m encountering. Not able to make decent trustworthy calls inbound or outbound without interfere by third party who tampered my calls. This is why I’m not success to find my way out. And truly complete my identity at last. I’m 61.

[@TyrekeCorrea]

Wait a second. If Melody feels this way at this point and she goes on to agree to assist with placing students in mainstream schools later, when the school board at Carlton is threatening to close it, then she flipped.

[@giordanotirelli6028]

Happy birthday at lea thompson from italian boy live in rome and i m fan of switched at birth

[@1984cuddles]

I can understand where marlees character is coming from lost one eardrum to illness and was fully deaf after a tragic car accident as an adult now 15 years later I'm still trying to fit in I have aids but that is sometimes not enough

[@barbaraallsopp6573]

Every time emmit mom says something like that's going to hurt peoole she'll walk away when they repeated it

[@jadebolt4416]

The thing is this could work vice versa a deaf student might feel out of place in a hearing school and a hearing student might feel out of place in a deaf school. watching the flurry of hand movements and trying to keep track, could be just as hard to a hearing person as watching lips might be to a deaf person. While I believe in equality for all, I don't think trying to force the matter is the way to go. espcailly not upon teenagers. if you want something like this then go younger. children are more adaptable- while they can be cruel, they are more likely to adapt to a situation

[@juliettebraden3328]

But think how many hearing kids go to deaf schools? Why would they? If they do, it is by choice in which they MUST adapt to the way of the school. They cant walk into a deaf school and say "people are not accommodating me". For deaf children, it is often not their choice to be put in hearing schools. They are often denied the ability to go to deaf schools.

[@KoriEmerson]

Unless you have been in this situation and are involved with the Deaf community ... you won’t understand. This isn’t about equality , It’s about Deaf kids ( this fight goes on in younger grades too) being able to be D-E-A-F . The culture, the language, the jokes, the banging on the table to get attention, not having to have an interpreter because everyone there knows your language. There is a lot in this .

[@alazjaw.8968]

such an ignorant comment

[@mcfluffynips]

I imagine Marie Jean Philip would approve.

[@audreyfung1571]

I have putting on the closed captions for hard of hearing impaired.

[@RiverIleene]

"Hearing" in ASL is the same that in chilean sign language :)

[@abigailriedman2213]

What season and episode is this from??

[@Mooncherry83]

Season 2 episode 8

[@rbswords2353]

Proof here there is a God.He gave a man the inspiration to come up with sign language.A good gift so people like the lovely Ms Matlin could communicate.

[@5281940]

the whole point of this show is too so that there is (nothing wrong by being DEAF) and there's nothing wrong by using American sign language in this community of all communities of all states and most of these (40% of hearing people act) like that the deaf people are (Below) them and that is so wrong on so many wrong on so many levels that is not right this is America respect each other but the hearing people do not respect that they think they can change them and that they can't do nothing on their own which they can it's a plane it's simple to that people understood get it got it good........it is ok to be (deaf)......

[@audragilet26]

While I agree with everything Melody said, I loved the look on Melody’s face when Kathryn clarified that she was there because her school couldn’t afford a drama teacher. Melody often doesn’t recognize or appreciate other people’s efforts. Bay trying to learn sign language when she first started dating Emmett comes to mind.

[@5281940]

Marlee Matlin in this movie is right there's Not!! enough hearing people in the community to Recognize!) the Deaf! of American Sign Language (kids or adults). hearing people always Shunning The Sign Language American deaf kids which is Not!!!!! Fair at all! . people of hearing communrty think if their deaf they can't! do (Nothing) but that's a different complete opposite of what deaf (Can Do) I am! a (Signer) and I can sign myself from Eugene Oregon and I understand! What (Marilee m. is saying (deaf kids) should be! Allowed to be (themselves) and be able to be deaf without somebody trying to Change their culture or the language or their ways..... hearing people need to open! up! their minds! ( it's a plain! as Simple! as that! . YES! TO THE DEAF SIGN ASL I DO THIS LOVE IT ...

[@melissawilliams6635]

Yes, Melody is right. The hearing don't recognize the deaf because they are too busy paying attention at themselves because they can hear. The deaf are always left in the world, missing out on everything. Melody tells it like it is.

[@fusslig7811]

Why are there ! in the middle of the sentences and why are some of the words in (). I’m just curious because it makes it a little hard to read.

[@canyounot313]

Fusslig Deaf people have a language of their own so they’d probably not be as fluent in English...

[@rebeccasimmons3139]

@@fusslig7811 That helps hearing people know what is important in a sentence. Not!! I am! is showing the importance of the words in the sentence. I am HOH not Deaf but have to wear hearing aids and know some signs.

[@ellaschneider3931]

Every hearing person is different. Please get that through your mind.

[@DarkAurora2002]

+Ella schneider Of course there are hearing people who are very supportive of the deaf community but you can't expect all or even most of the hearing kids who are forced to transfer to deaf school to be respectful of the deaf kids

[@littlemen9917]

There are many type of hearing people there some hearing don't understand sign language because of Deaf, it important to use Paper and pen/Pencil for Deaf Students/Teachers

[@Simsimdu38]

Tell that to someone who's been harassed and bullied all his childhood by hearing people. You cant ask them not to judge us while millions of us are judging them. Some of them understand and some of them dont. In France, WE forbed sign language for more than a century. And now we want them to love us. Change is a thing that needs time.

[@jessicasuzanne___]

Ella schneider True

[@realmofthemisunderstood166]

Sis Co BEAUTIFULLY said

[@RAINBOWNATE]

Dam Marlee Maitln looking badass sexy glowing and fierce in this video. the pose the face reaction says it all. showing the world why she is NOT LIKE MOST GIRLS. NOT LIKE MOST GUYS. NOT LIKE MOST. AND THERE NOBODY MEANER THAN MARLEE MATLIN. SO YOU BETTER PUT YOUR HAIR UP AND SQUARE UP.

[@ambernarmore2119]

hey

[@roselibailomo5362]

gostou?...filme. ..surda o ...legal

[@lindadelrio4546]

Good ! Myself know ..

[@crystalpistey-lyhne3406]

I💖!🙆😍👍🖐🤙

[@halaluqman9183]

This way you're just telling deaf people that they can only be comfortable among deafs. They need to know they have what it takes to interact with hearing people too. The more big if a deal you make out of a situation, the bigger of a deal it becomes

[@arielg7000]

omg

[@juanabarrientos2358]

Que horror

[@ChowMeinWarrior]

😀

[@jazbabyjj]

Marlee is so bad idec 😍

[@ScubaSanta1]

Which season and episode is this clip from?

[@Mooncherry83]

Season 2 episode 8