CODA: A Powerful Reminder of Why Bridging the Deaf-Hearing Divide Is Essential for All

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The heartwarming film “CODA” (now available on your Apple TV+ subscription) ranks among my top favorites. Here’s the gist of this Best Picture winner: it’s the tale of Ruby Rossi, a teenage girl who struggles to balance her aspirations as a singer with her duty as an interpreter for her deaf family. After revisiting this poignant coming-of-age movie, I can’t help but appreciate its role in highlighting the significance of fostering understanding between the deaf and hearing communities.

Ruby Shouldn’t Have To Be The Family Translator 24/7

In the film, Ruby consistently acts as a translator for her deaf family in various situations, such as awkward medical visits, broadcasts about their fishing enterprise on news stations, and crucial business meetings. Ruby is the primary means of communication between her family and the hearing world.

It’s questionable if it was fair that Ruby’s parents relied so heavily on their daughter to translate for them all the time. She had aspirations for a singing audition at Berklee, but her family constantly interrupted. Placing such a heavy burden on the teenager was preventing her from living independently and pursuing her own dreams.

Whenever Ruby attempted to engage socially, her parents seemed to view this as a detraction from her role as their interpreter. Rather than the Rossis making efforts to assimilate into the hearing society, they relied on their daughter as a sort of security blanket.

Deaf People Get Left Out Of Everyday Stuff

It was deeply unfortunate to witness the marginalization of the deaf community in one exceptional Apple TV+ film. Characters who were part of the fishing community often excluded Leo, Ruby’s brother, from social drinking due to his deafness. Furthermore, when he was present, he was frequently disregarded or provoked instead of being included.

At Ruby’s school, during her choir presentation, it turned out that there was no sign language interpreter to help deaf attendees follow along with the song. Consequently, the Rossis could only gauge their performance based on the responses from the audience.

It was disheartening to witness the Rossis being left out of normal activities, as they had the ability to communicate effectively and manage a business. What was required was for the world to meet them halfway and give them an opportunity.

Deaf Workers Are Constantly Overlooked

The Rossi family encountered numerous difficulties in their fishing enterprise. If Ruby wasn’t around to translate, their views and worries were often disregarded. Despite Leo and his father, Frank, having extensive experience as fishermen, authorities raised doubts about their capability to securely manage a sailboat without a hearing individual present with them.

In the absence of an interpreter or other necessary accessibility aids, only a federal fishing observer was given, who was unaware that Frank and Leo were deaf and lacked the ability to communicate with them effectively. The fishing industry could have greatly benefited from the expertise of the Rossi family, but they opted not to accommodate their deaf employees and instead kept them excluded.

The Deaf Community Doesn’t Deserve To Be Mocked

In the fishing industry, the hearing community often found it difficult to acknowledge or give credence to the Rossis’ concerns and ideas. During a committee meeting, when Frank expressed his grievance about the burden of paying observers personally, they responded by stating their intention to establish their own independent fishing enterprise.

Although the other fishermen appeared to concur with Frank, none of them seemed eager to team up with him. When Leo attempted to socialize with the fishermen at the bar by using sign language, they either disregarded or ridiculed him, resulting in a physical altercation.

In a different phrasing: Ruby faced ridicule due to her deaf family. Upon meeting her parents, her singing partner spread rumors, fueling the teasing of other children. Throughout the film, the hearing population often looked down on those who are deaf, using their inability to hear as a reason to disconnect. However, it’s important to remember that the deaf community should not be mocked and possesses just as much strength and worth as any other group of people.

We Need More Shared, Inclusive Spaces

In the movie set in Massachusetts, known as “Massachusetts-set,” the Rossi family experienced social isolation. They were hesitant to engage with the wider hearing community due to apprehensions about being marginalized, and unfortunately, the hearing community did not extend any attempts of inclusion either. It becomes evident that the hearing community viewed themselves as the norm and seldom made efforts to foster understanding or bridge the gap.

CODA emphasizes that merely accommodating deaf individuals in hearing environments is not enough; we must transform these spaces to ensure inclusive participation for all. This involves affordable access to interpreters, offering fundamental sign language lessons, and showing understanding and respect towards those who communicate uniquely. The audition scene where Ruby sings her song is particularly touching because she was creating a space for her family to share in the music with her, using sign language.

The 2022 Academy Award-winning film, CODA, powerfully underscores the importance of fostering understanding between the deaf and hearing populations. It’s crucial to acknowledge that being deaf is not a choice one makes, but rather a part of someone’s identity. By cultivating spaces that are welcoming, considerate, and accessible for everyone, the hearing community can actively contribute to bridging this gap.

Just as the Rossi family in CODA demonstrated when they found common ground with the hearing community, the film serves as a gentle reminder that we all yearn to feel a sense of belonging.

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2025-07-15 12:09