Do Deaf People Like CODA?
The recent Oscar-winning film CODA has been praised for its positive representation of deaf actors and deaf lives. But some members of the deaf community have been hesitant to criticize the film, even though they may have some issues with it.
CODA follows the story of a young deaf girl, Ruby, and her hearing family. While the film has been praised for its accurate representation of deaf culture, some members of the deaf community have found the film’s hearing perspective to be frustrating or even upsetting.
One of the biggest issues with the film is that it portrays deafness as a disability, rather than a difference. This is a common problem in media representation of deaf people, and it can be alienating for members of the deaf community.
Another issue is that the film portrays the hearing family as being more accepting of Ruby’s deafness than they actually are. While the family does eventually come to accept Ruby’s deafness, it is portrayed as a slow and difficult process. This can be discouraging for members of the deaf community, as it implies that acceptance of deafness is not something that comes naturally.
Finally, some members of the deaf community have expressed frustration with the film’s lack of focus on deaf culture. While the film does feature some aspects of deaf culture, such as sign language and deaf clubs, it does not explore them in any depth. This can be alienating for members of the deaf community, as it implies that deaf culture is not important or worthy of exploration.
Overall, while some members of the deaf community have found CODA to be a positive representation of deaf lives, others have found it to be frustrating or even upsetting. It is important to remember that media representation of deaf people is still far from perfect, and that there is still a long way to go before deaf people are truly represented in a positive and accurate way.