Deaf Mothers, Maternal Thinking and Intersections of Gender and Ability

Abstract

This paper investigates the mothering experiences of college-educated Deaf women and connects this to their identities as part of the Deaf community. Using feminist life history interviews with ten Deaf women, the analysis focuses on their work as mothers and the connections with “maternal thinking,” difference and sameness. Discussions about wanting hearing or deaf children and communication with children influenced their identities and were part of the disciplined practice of this work. The women developed strategies to “normalize” experiences and viewed themselves as a linguistic minority. They made political decisions when using American Sign Language, English, or both and resonated with the Deaf community, hearing world, or “in between.” They worked to ensure the acceptability of their children as well as themselves. The author argues that an analysis of ability along with gender is useful to further current theorizing about gender and mothering as a kind of work.