Few communities are as misunderstood as the d/Deaf community. Outdated ideas about deaf communication and a lack of understanding about hearing loss are often to blame. Each September, Deaf Awareness Month offers a chance to educate about the challenges, contributions, and culture of the Deaf (and every May, National Speech-Language-Hearing Month offers a similar chance). Only recently has deafness been spoken about more widely, in large part thanks to social media, which has united d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities from around the globe. In fact, anyone wanting to learn more from a vibrant community of creators can find a wealth of learning resources and quality entertainment on TikTok.
TikTok has created a space for Deaf creators to educate, entertain, and otherwise bridge the gap in understanding deafness and accessibility. Celebrate Deaf Awareness month with Rev as we explore an eclectic mix of binge-worthy content from these 10 d/Deaf TikTok creators.
1. Chrissy Marshall
Los Angeles-based Chrissy Marshall is a Deaf filmmaker and advocate. Her TikTok channel, @ChrissyCantHearYou, has over a million followers. Chrissy has a cochlear implant but is fluent in sign language. Using pop music, TikTok trends, and samples from movies, she teaches signs, illustrates struggles, and advocates for people with disabilities—all in a humorous, upbeat style. One of the most valuable offerings on Chrissy’s channel is lessons on deaf awareness. She delivers information in a catchy, approachable way that is relatable and fun. You can also find her on her website or her Facebook page.
2. Patrick McMullin & Big Ben
Patrick McMullin & Big Ben are a Deaf comedy duo out of Detroit. While their content consists mostly of pranks and skits, it also educates. The friends take questions from fans and answer them in hilarious and irreverent ways. Each member of the duo has their own Facebook and Instagram pages, but the best place to see their work is on their TikTok channel. With 1.1 million followers, @patrickandbigben produces light-hearted content on a regular basis. They can be mildly crude at times, but their odd-couple dynamic and genuine desire to make viewers laugh makes them worth a follow.
3. Jacelyn Fincher
A 20-year-old student of Gallaudet University, Jacelyn brings visibility to two marginalized communities: deaf and bisexual. The creator is known for funny, relevant content that is reflective of her life experiences. Her TikTok channel has 1.3 million followers, who love the mix of genres she uses in her work. Jacelyn does it all, including answering fan questions, ASL lessons, funny pick-up line tips, and of course, trendy dance videos. Her Instagram account features mostly personal photos, but for her engaging video content, check out her TikTok channel: @jacelyn.fincher
4. Scarlet Watters
A native of Washington D.C., Scarlet Watters lost her hearing at the age of three and learned to sign. She is an enthusiastic advocate for closed captioning for all TikTok videos. With an impressive 4.4 million followers, she is one of the most popular Deaf TikTok creators. She initially rose to fame for her series “Deaf Kardashians,” where she reenacts iconic Kardashian scenes complete with costume changes and a perfect “crying Kim” face. Fans love her elegant, fluid hand movements and describe her ASL style as “sassy.” Scarlet blends entertainment, ASL musical covers, and Deaf education seamlessly. Find her on TikTok: @scarlet_may.1
5. Phelan Conheady
Phelan Conheady is a 22-year-old student at the University of Rochester, New York. As a gay, deaf creator with Asian heritage, he represents three underrepresented groups—all visible influences in his content. With impeccable charm and humor, Phelan brings awareness to issues faced by deaf students and service workers. His work is sensitive, socially aware, and emotionally honest. He maintains an active Twitter presence as @signingmango but the bulk of his work is for his almost 250,000 TikTok followers at @signnwolf.
6. Andy Pleasants
Self-described “talkative nonverbal,” Anderson Pleasants is a 21-year old political science student at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is a Deaf advocate who calls attention to those with facial differences. With 353,000 TikTok followers at @andyispleasants, he challenges misconceptions about facial differences and seeks connection with others on the basis of commonalities. In 2017, he was featured in a TedXyouth talk where he tells his story. Andy maintains a YouTube channel and is on Facebook and Instagram, but produces primarily on TikTok. Andy is a must-follow for great vibes and powerful messages about identity and complexity.
7. Dallin Smuin
25-year-old Dallin Smuin is a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Despite having two cochlear implants and wearing hearing aids, he uses ASL to communicate and uses his platform to promote inclusivity. With his blonde mane and surfer-boy looks, much of his content involves Dallin in the outdoors doing sporty activities—something that sets him apart from many other Deaf TikTok creators. He offers his 187 thousand followers a mix of ASL tips, education about cochlear implants, and honest takes on the social challenges faced by the hard-of-hearing. He is most active on TikTok, where his handle is @dallinsmuin.
8. Otis Jones
A Black creator whose videos are mostly produced in his red and blue lit bedroom, Otis Jones brings a distinctly “in da club” vibe to his content. Unlike other Deaf TikTok creators, his content is just ASL music interpretations and ASL lessons. With 432,000 followers on his TikTok channel @slntwrldddd, it is a surprise that there is almost no information available about Otis, including his age, location, or any personal information, which is refreshing on a platform where most creators are so personality-focused. This is a great follow for music lovers and people looking to pick up some basic ASL.
9. Beth & Coop
This is an unusual account, detailing the experiences of Beth Leipholtz, a hearing mother, and Cooper, her son who is deaf due to Waardenburg Syndrome. He has two cochlear implants and she is raising him with both speech and ASL. Their TikTok channel @beth_leipholtz has 362,000 followers. To learn more about Cooper’s condition and their backstory, her webpage goes deeper into the family’s history. Her channel is a great resource for parents with deaf infants, filled with useful information and their family’s journey navigating life with a deaf child.
10. Becky Mingins
Becky Mingins is a gay British creator with 716,000 followers on her TikTok account, @beckyyhelen. She uses British sign language (BSL) and has a cochlear implant. She and her Deaf girlfriend, Helen, offer up a combination of funny skits, BSL lessons, BSL songs (delivered with fantastic emotion)–while answering questions from fans. Becky works as a swimming instructor and is very active, often shown cycling or swimming. For exposure to a slightly different sign language than ASL in a different cultural context, this account is a wonderful follow.
Learning More About Deaf Culture on TikTok
The d/Deaf community on TikTok is thriving and filled with thousands of diverse creators. To continue learning and discovering more, check out hashtags such as #abilitynotdisability, #deaf, #deafworld, #deafawareness, #deaftalent, #deaflove, #hardofhearing, and #deafeducation. And to learn more about American Sign Language, explore hashtags like #asl, #signlanguage, #americansignlanguage, #learnsignlanguage, and #learnasl. You can also check out our post on famous Deaf people to learn more about the members of this community in the public eye.
