Imagine greeting someone and receiving no response. You might assume they are ignoring you. You may think they are unfriendly, dismissive, or rude. But what if they simply did not hear you?
For many deaf people, moments like this happen regularly. Someone speaks from behind them, calls their name across a room, or asks a question while looking away. When there is no immediate response, an assumption is made before the person has a chance to explain.
Deafness is not always visible. A person may speak clearly, wear hearing aids hidden beneath their hair, or communicate confidently in certain situations. None of this means they can hear everything around them. Background noise, distance, unfamiliar voices, poor lighting, and people speaking without facing them can make communication difficult.
The same problem can occur with speech. A deaf person may pronounce certain words differently because they cannot hear every sound clearly. Others may mistake their speech for a lack of intelligence or confidence. Some people withdraw from conversations because constantly asking others to repeat themselves becomes tiring or embarrassing.
Even body language can be misunderstood. Concentrating on someone’s lips may look like staring. Remaining quiet in a group may be seen as antisocial behaviour. Missing a joke can appear like a lack of interest. Walking past someone who has called out may seem deliberately disrespectful.
These misunderstandings can affect school, friendships, employment, relationships, and everyday interactions. Over time, being repeatedly labelled rude or difficult can make a person hesitant to speak, join conversations, or explain their disability.
A little patience can change the situation completely.
Face the person when speaking. Get their attention before beginning a conversation. Avoid speaking from another room. If they do not understand the first time, repeat yourself without showing irritation. Most importantly, do not decide what someone’s behaviour means before knowing the reason behind it.
Sometimes what appears to be rudeness is simply a communication barrier.
Understanding that difference can turn judgment into connection.
In The Silent Fortress, Tracy Mawson shares the reality of growing up deaf in a world that repeatedly misunderstood her.
From being judged as a difficult child to facing assumptions about her speech, behaviour, and abilities as an adult, Tracy experienced what happens when people judge what they see without understanding what lies behind it.
Her memoir travels far beyond deafness. It is a personal account of childhood hardship, family conflict, love, motherhood, recovery, and the long journey towards finding a place where she could finally be herself.
The Silent Fortress invites readers to look beyond first impressions and understand the person standing on the other side of the silence.