Attention Isn’t Neutral
Sometimes the way people get attention shows whose access is expected.
I’ve noticed that hearing-centred spaces often use sound first, without asking who that excludes.
The way attention is gained is not neutral.
It reflects which norms are treated as default.
In hearing-centred environments, sound-based cues such as clapping, calling out, or clicking fingers are often used without considering access.
These methods rely on hearing.
They prioritise speed and convenience over inclusion.
When sound is treated as the default, visual access is reduced.
Deaf people are expected to adapt, anticipate, or absorb discomfort within spaces not designed for them.
This is not about etiquette.
It is about how access is structured.
Who is considered first is revealed in how attention is given.
Access does not begin with interpretation or support.
It begins with how people are approached, acknowledged, and included.
When attention is designed around hearing norms, exclusion is already built in.
