Marlee Matlin Quotes

Growing up, I was always involved in the deaf community.

I just have a connection with sign language. I always thought the deaf community was a different community to be a part of. In high school, me and my friend took sign language.

I'm happy being deaf. I'm happy with my life and my family.

I am the fourth generation of being deaf.

I am fourth-generation deaf, which means everyone in my immediate family is deaf. So I grew up always having 100 percent accessibility to language and communication, which was wonderful and something so many deaf people don't have.

I was born deaf. I was raised in a hearing world and in a deaf world at the same time. I can't say that I like one better than I like the other. I like them both. I speak pretty well; I gesture. If I don't understand something, you know, pen and paper, texting. I use it all.

In the deaf community, in order to play a role of someone with a hearing loss... you have to have hearing loss.

There are two worlds: the deaf world and the hearing world. There are some people in the deaf community that feel that hearing people look down on us.

I know a little bit about deaf culture because a friend of mine has been in the deaf culture for awhile. Over the course of 25 years, she and I have talked about many of the issues and concerns for deaf people and deaf culture.

The deaf culture is portrayed very accurately on 'Switched at Birth' because the writers did the opposite of the norm. They did their homework before portraying anything on television.

The deaf community relies so much on eye contact, expression and body language. It's such a huge part of who we are.

I was a sign language interpreter from when I was 17, but I don't do that anymore. Both of my parents were deaf. I grew up in a deaf household. I don't do any jokes about it really, but yeah that was my day job.

I started to realize that there are a lot of people who are unaware of deaf culture, and I've been given a great platform to reframe the deaf community.

To really understand a deaf person's experience, you need someone that is deaf to be able to tell you what their experience is.

We have over 25 deaf individuals in my family.

Say what you want about the deaf.

Deaf people can do anything, except hear.

I think you can't deny that because the cochlear implant exists, the signing world is shrinking.

I know deaf people. I have discussed the issues with them I've also thought about them a lot so I have some insights that go a little further than people who haven't had contact with the deaf community.

Before working with Deaf West, I had never met a deaf person, and now I can't imagine life without ASL.

There are many issues within the deaf community but, for me, none more important than access to education for deaf children.

While taking sign language in high school, one of our assignments was to go out and participate in the deaf community, so I really got to know a lot of the group from that. I felt like they needed a little bit more of a voice because people treat them different just because they're hearing impaired.

I am one hundred percent ready to be a spokesperson for the deaf community.

I have my own foundation, Nyle DiMarco Foundation, and it focuses on bettering deaf youths' lives.

I grew up with deaf teachers, and I thought all deaf children should have exposure to deaf educators.