audism

[ aw-diz-uhm ]

noun

1. bias or discrimination against people who cannot hear or have difficulty hearing, or prejudice or hostility toward them:

   When youth who are deaf or hard of hearing enter higher education settings or the workplace they may face issues of intimidation or audism.

Word History and Origins

Origin of audism¹

First recorded in 1975–80; aud(io)- ( def ) + -ism ( def )

Example Sentences

Meghan Frick, a spokeswoman for the Georgia Department of Education, said it “stands opposed to audism and other forms of prejudice.”

From New York Times

Students protested the hiring, accusing the school and the Education Department of racism and disability-based discrimination against the deaf community known as audism.

From New York Times

Even in the warmth of that environment, she was not spared the cruelties of audism, a prejudiced view of deaf people that is expressed in ways subtle and overt.

From Washington Post

That so little linguistic scholarship of the dialect exists today is the consequence of both audism and racism.

From New York Times

This fear has to be the result of years and years of systemic and internalized audism and ableism because it tells us that we must continually prove to not just hearing audiences, but also to ourselves, that we are just as good, or maybe even better than they are.

From Los Angeles Times