Growing up hearing in a Deaf household: Dawn Mauldon’s new memoir Unheard Voices

Growing up in post-war suburban Melbourne, Dawn Mauldon’s family looked like almost everyone else – until they started talking on their hands.

The first-born hearing child to Deaf adults (a Coda), Dawn’s first language was tactile, visual, physical and theatrical, teaching her to be aware of details, accept differences and informing her understanding of how stories are told. The Deaf world gave her a strong sense of belonging, but her parents encouraged her to find her place in the hearing world.

Dawn joins us to discuss her new memoir, Unheard Voices, which explores the challenges and joys of living in a world that is often hostile and unwelcoming to those who are different.

Photo courtesy of Fremantle Press.

Dawn Freo Press