“There are many, many ways to be a deaf person, but the important thing is to think about the ways in which you embrace it” -Sarah Marsh

The word ‘deaf’ encompasses so many different lived experiences. And by its very nature it’s hard to communicate what it means - what it feels like - to be deaf. But through writing, anything is possible.

Sarah Marsh is the author of A Sign of Her Own: The vivid historical novel of a Deaf woman's role in the invention of the telephone. Through the novel’s protagonist, Ellen Lark, we get a glimpse into what it must be like to be deaf, beautifully put in her shoes as she constantly struggles to both understand and be understood.

This novel also teaches us about deaf history. Hear the lesser known story of telephone inventor Alexander Graham Bell, and the role he played in the deaf community, from teaching a method called Visible Speech, to his oppressive views about sign language.

In this episode, you will learn:

• About the huge variety in the deaf experience
• How history doesn’t remember everything in equal measure
• To never stop searching for ways to bring your lived experience to life through writing.

Find out more about Sarah Marsh here.

Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.

Behind The Spine is an inkjockey production and the audio accompaniment to The Writing Salon. Sign up for the newsletter here.

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You can view the full transcript here.

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