π§
Deaf Person
def pur-suhn
Definitions
1
People Β· Accessibility
Common
Represents a deaf or hard of hearing person. Used to identify oneself or others as deaf, discuss deaf culture, or indicate content related to the deaf community.
Used in contexts of identity, accessibility discussions, and to indicate sign language or deaf-friendly content.
I'm π§ so please face me when speaking so I can read your lips.
Personal message
Tonight's performance will have π§ interpreters available.
Event announcement
Learning ASL has connected me with amazing π§ friends and culture.
Social media post
Introduced as part of Unicode's effort to increase disability representation and visibility. Important symbol for deaf community identity and advocacy.
2
Communication Β· Accessibility
Common
Indicates content is accessible to deaf people, such as videos with captions/subtitles, sign language interpretation, or visual cues instead of audio alerts.
Used in content descriptions, event announcements, and digital accessibility contexts.
New video tutorial is now available with π§ captions!
Content announcement
Our app now includes π§ visual notifications for all audio alerts.
App update notification
Reflects growing awareness of digital accessibility needs and inclusive design principles.
Evolution Timeline
2019
Introduction of π§ emoji as part of Unicode 12.0's focus on representation and accessibility.
Growing disability rights movement and push for inclusive representation in digital communication.
2020
Increased usage during pandemic as deaf people advocated for clear masks and accessible virtual communications.
COVID-19 pandemic highlighted communication barriers for deaf people.
2021
Wider adoption in mainstream content labeling as accessibility awareness grew in digital spaces.
Social media platforms improved accessibility features and awareness.
Cultural Context
The emoji represents both medical deafness and cultural Deafness (with capital D), which refers to identity within deaf culture and use of sign language.
Reflects the shift from viewing deafness as purely medical to recognizing deaf culture and community as a linguistic and cultural minority.
Often used to indicate digital accessibility features like captions, transcripts, or visual alternatives to audio content.
Part of broader movement toward representation of disabilities in emoji, reflecting disability rights advocacy and the 'nothing about us without us' principle.
Regional Variations
United Kingdom
Associated with BSL (British Sign Language) which differs significantly from ASL. Used in accessibility contexts.
United States
Often associated with ASL (American Sign Language) and strong deaf cultural identity. Frequently used in advocacy contexts.
Generational Usage
Gen_X: Primarily used in formal contexts like workplace communications about accessibility and inclusion.
Gen_Z: Widely used in content warnings and accessibility tags. Common in TikTok and Instagram to indicate captioned content.
Older: Less frequent usage, mainly in family communications about hearing needs or accessibility requirements.
Millennials: Used in professional and personal contexts to indicate accessibility needs or features in digital content.
Common Combinations
π§π
Greeting in sign language or to the deaf community.
Represents visual communication methods important in deaf culture.
π§β€οΈ
Love for deaf culture or community; deaf pride.
Expresses positive identity and community connection within deaf culture.
π§π±
Deaf-accessible technology or communication methods.
Highlights importance of visual/text-based communication technology for deaf people.
π§π¬
Captioned or signed video content; deaf-accessible media.
Used to indicate media with accessibility features for deaf viewers.