Switched at Birth ASL Student Investigation

In the television show Switched at Birth, two of the main characters are deaf. These
characters are Emmett, played by Sean Berd, and Daphne, played by Katie LeClerc, According
to Carina Mackenzie (2011), a journalist, Sean Berdy was born deaf and grew up learning ASL.
Katie on the other hand is not deaf. She has a hearing disorder called Meniere's Disease.
Menieres Disease is a disorder that causes difficulty hearing and can cause hearing loss (Mayo
2012).
While most people seem to agree that Katies depiction of a truly deaf person is
admirable, others argue that the role shouldve been given to someone who was actually deaf. An
interview with Katie was recorded and an online version submitted to livejournal.com. In the
comment section of this article, several people argued against using a hearing actress to play a
deaf character (Littlestarletta 2011).
For example, one person in the comment section stated, Im deaf and I do not feel really
comfortable to see her play as a deaf girl because she is too hearing to me. There are many of
young deaf actresses who can do better than her. (Littlestarletta 2011). Another user compared
the use of a hearing actress to the use of a person who has no difficulty walking to play a
character in a wheelchair.
Its unsurprising that people, especially those in the deaf community, would have a
problem with Katies role. In the past, women were not allowed to act and men actually believed
that they could play the role of a female better than a female could (Plant 2008). This belief is
now seen as ridiculous. Of course a female would be better equipped to play the role of a female.
That is not to say that a man couldnt do a good job at playing a females role. The same goes
with a hearing person playing a deaf character.
Just as a female would play a female better than a man would, so would a deaf person
play a deaf character better. A hearing person grew up differently than a deaf person and thus
will never truly understand the way a deaf person lives. No one would ever say that Sean Berdy
is playing the part of a deaf person poorly because he is deaf. The same cannot be said for
Leclerc.
In conclusion, ABC made a questionable decision to cast Katie Leclerc as a Daphne Its
arguable that a deaf actress shouldve been chosen. However, its also arguable that an actress
should be chosen on her acting ability only. In the end, its all about how you view the subject as
an individual.






References
Littlestarletta. (2011) Switched at Birth Star Katie Leclerc Talks About Real-Life Disorder
That Led to Breakout Role. Retrieved From
http://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/60388581.html

MacKenzie, C., A. (2011). 'Switched at Birth': Meet Katie LeClerc and Sean Berdy, hard-of-
hearing stars. Retrieved from
http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/switched_at_birth_meet_katie_leclerc_and_sean_berdy_he
aring-impaired_stars-2011-06

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2012). Menieres disease. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menieres-disease/basics/definition/con-
20028251

Plant, D. (2008). William Prynne. BCW Project. Retrieved from
http://bcw-project.org/biography/william-prynne