Super Bowl sign language performers already had low screen time before attacks on DEI
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American Sign Language performers didn't appear at all during the Super Bowl national anthem broadcast last year, following the trend of more than a decade of little to no screen time.
The big picture: Disability rights and visibility are under attack by the Trump administration as part of its anti-DEI policies during the first few weeks of the new term.
Driving the news: The association requested that Fox Sports show ASL performers on the main broadcast screens or via picture-in-picture technology, as well as on the big screen on Super Bowl Sunday inside Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Zoom out: Trump's attacks on diversity policies could set back progress for people with disabilities, who already face obstacles in landing jobs.
- Some saw increases in employment rates after the pandemic boost in remote work.
- That work is now getting pushback from the federal government, as the Trump administration terminated what it called "DEI discrimination" in the federal workforce and spending.
By the numbers: About half a million people throughout the U.S. use ASL to communicate as their natural language, according to ASL Deafined, a video lesson program.
- After English and Spanish, it's the third-most commonly used language in the U.S.
State of play: Since the 1992 Super Bowl, most ASL performers appeared on screen for 8% or less of the broadcasted national anthem, per an Axios analysis. In 16 of the 33 years, they weren't on screen at all.
- At the 1993 Super Bowl, country singer Garth Brooks was joined by ASL performer Marlee Matlin, who was fully visible the entire performance. It's one of two broadcasts where both performers were visible during the full national anthem.
- "This is the standard that should be met," the National Association of the Deaf said in a January community letter.
Zoom in: The ASL pregame performances and ASL Halftime show will be supported by Deaf civil rights attorney Alexis Kashar, who also founded ASL jewelry company LOVE SIGN, and Howard Rosenblum of advocacy organization Deaf Equality, according to a press release.
- ASL performer Stephanie Nogueras will sign the national anthem and "America the Beautiful," according to the Delaware Association of the Deaf. Otis Jones IV, another ASL performer, will sign the Black national anthem "Lift Every Voice and Sing."
- Matt Maxey will perform the ASL rendition of Kendrick Lamar's halftime performance.
Spokespeople for the Super Bowl and Fox News did not respond to Axios' requests for comment on plans for showing the ASL stream on the main broadcast.
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