For the longest time, seeing ASL on screens was rare. Early exposure often came from educational videos and teaching materials featuring legends like Ben Bahan, Peter Cook, Manny Hernandez, Bonnie Kraft, Sam Supalla, and many others (feel free to add your favourites in the comments!).
Then came ASL music interpreters in churches and on YouTube. Deaf performers started signing their own songs — Rosa Lee Timm, Russell Harvard, and others. Organizations like DPAN (Deaf Performing Arts Network) also played a big role.
Mainstream breakthroughs followed: Children of a Lesser God, Deaf actors appearing in sitcoms, and full-length movies in ASL from ASL Films.
Today, social media has exploded with ASL content, making it more visible than ever.
This increased exposure is a major win. When more people see ASL on screens — in theatres, TV, and online — it raises awareness and changes how they think about, approach, and interact with Deaf people. Attitudes shift toward openness and understanding.
Sign language has existed for centuries and has faced suppression, but as George Veditz famously said, “As long as we have Deaf people, there will always be signs.”
The growing visibility of ASL is proof of that resilience — and a powerful accessibility win for the community.
What about you? What’s one movie, show, video, or performance that featured ASL and left an impact on you? Or how has seeing more ASL in media changed your perspective?
Share your favourites or thoughts in the comments!
See you tomorrow for Day 18!