5 minute read
Living With Hearing Loss
True Talent Comes in All Forms
I was flipping through the pages of this magazine, one after another, and was surprised to see that many of the photos did not show people with visible hearing aids. It spurred me to reach out and share my story, because I feel that the acting and modeling industries lack the inclusion of people who really use hearing aids. By Jan Marcos Andrade
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I was born in Florida, where I still live. Twenty-eight years ago newborn hearing screening wasn’t mandatory. My parents recall that they didn’t feel it necessary or that they were advised to do it.
When I was a toddler, my parents noticed I did not respond to what they said, including my name. They brought me to the doctor, who put me through a series of tests and determined I was nearly deaf, with moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears. I was 2 ½ years old. My parents were devastated, not knowing how I would be able to grow up “normal.”
Would I ever speak? Would I need to be homeschooled? Would I be able to get a job later on? They were determined to get me the best help possible. I saw more doctors and had more tests, and then was given the precious gift of hearing aids.
Front and Center
In grade school I wore a big rectangular device strapped to my chest with wires attached to a hearing piece into my ears. It turned heads in the hallways and classroom, and many students asked what it was. However, in third grade there was one student who laughed and said I was weird because of the device I had to wear. I felt extremely hurt for months afterward. But it pushed me to prove to myself that I am just as capable as anyone else. I decided to join the after-school drama and chorus clubs. These two enrichment activities opened my eyes—I saw how I could hone my voice and acting skills despite learning how to speak at a later age than other students. In special education I had been practicing my speech for years, stuttering occasionally. By practicing acting and singing in these clubs, before I knew it I was placed front and center of the chorus and in plays, and at school spirit rallies and events. Even in prekindergarten, I became the announcer for our talent show. I saw what I could accomplish and how far I could go. Since then, I’ve remained Jan Marcos Andrade has been a interested in acting and using my perfomer since prekindergarten, when voice, body language, and behavior he used a body-worn hearing device. to portray a character. When I watch actors in films, I always consider Left: Andrade with his family. how their emotions and actions are
portrayed, and I feel empathy for the characters’ struggles.
As a novice professional actor, I keep getting told that acting is very hard and only those who make it big in Hollywood can earn a real living, and that I should go for an easier career. Every time I hear this, it brings me back to my grade school bullying experience and I become even more determined.
Many Dimensions
For a long time I struggled to find my identity in the Deaf community. I didn’t learn American Sign Language (ASL) when I was little, and I’m told I don’t look or sound deaf because of how well I speak. But saying this actually further perpetuates the stereotype of people with hearing loss as one dimensional, and I believe our community is more than just a shared language. I share many experiences with Deaf people and know that we are a diverse, wide-ranging community.
Others have called me hard of hearing because I use hearing aids. It still does not change the fact that I am Deaf. If my batteries die, my hearing doesn’t exist, and even with my aids, my hearing isn’t perfect.
I have always wanted to participate in the annual Easterseals Disability Film Challenge. This year I got the opportunity to do so, thanks to another actor I knew through our local Deaf artists community. I reached out to her and we spoke on the phone about our experiences in the entertainment industry as actors with hearing loss. We had a good laugh when we discovered we’d gone through the same challenges.
What really struck a chord with us is the fact that mainstream society stereotypes all people with hearing loss as people who only communicate via sign language and can’t speak verbally. We both struggled to get accepted by talent agents or cast by directors because they expected us to know sign language. (That said, I know ASL is pretty awesome to speak so I have been picking it up to further embrace my roots in the community.)
This gave us the idea for our Easterseals film—a mini mockumentary about being deaf and why we don’t sign. We talked about a few common questions and comments we always get, such as “you can’t be deaf since you speak so well” and “you don’t sign?”, and went from there. The cast as well as the crew ended up all being disabled, too, so it was a great experience to be able to understand where everyone is coming from.
And honestly, so far my roles are not all deaf-related or disabled characters. I think that if you can do the job nothing else should matter. Abled actors often take disabled roles, so why not disabled actors playing abled characters? This helps society understand that we are just like everyone else.
Representation in the media sends a message that you are welcomed, seen, and educating the masses on what disability actually looks like. This is my way of advocating, just being me in my character to represent how I’ve lived my experience and mesh it with the role I’m playing.
True talent comes in all forms and includes those with disabilities. I consider my hearing loss a gift, not a flaw, and I wear it like armor. I believe I can be the voice for many others through my acting, providing inspiration and motivation and showing the world that nothing can stop people with disabilities.
Jan Marcos Andrade is listed as “Jan Marcos” on backstage.com. Find him on Instagram @janmarcosofficial. His mother Cynthia shared their family’s story in the Winter 2014 issue, at hhf.org/magazine.
Share your story: Tell us your hearing loss journey at editor@hhf.org.
