Why is 'Deaf' sometimes written with a capital D?

A capital D marks a culture, not a hearing test. When written as a cultural label, 'Deaf' is often spelled with a capital D to distinguish the community and culture from the audiological condition, which is typically written with a lowercase d. Deaf culture covers the beliefs, behaviors, arts, traditions, history, values and institutions of communities shaped by shared experiences of deafness, in which sign languages are the main means of communication.

Many Deaf communities view deafness as a difference in human experience rather than a disability or a disease, and many members take pride in their Deaf identity. Seen that way, Deaf people form a linguistic minority, a group that may feel misunderstood by people who do not know sign language. This is why the line is not drawn by decibels. The community may include hearing family members and sign language interpreters who identify with Deaf culture, and it does not automatically include everyone who is deaf or hard of hearing. In one interpreter's words, what defines a member is the individual's own sense of identity and resultant actions.

The strength of this identity showed in March 1988. Students at Gallaudet University, a university for deaf and hard of hearing students, were outraged when another hearing president was chosen, because the university had never selected a deaf person for the job. After a week of protest and activism, the new president resigned and was replaced by I. King Jordan, a psychology professor and dean. The movement became known as Deaf President Now.

Because sign language is central to the identity, debates about schooling and cochlear implants can be heated, and thoughtful people disagree. And there is not just one Deaf culture: there are many, around the world.