ABC Family's "Switched at Birth"

Switched at Birth, a one-hour scripted drama, tells the story of two teenage girls who discover they were accidentally switched as newborns in the hospital. Bay Kennish grew up in a wealthy family with two parents and a brother, while Daphne Vasquez, who lost her hearing at an early age due to a case of meningitis, grew up with a single mother in a working-class neighborhood. Things come to a dramatic head when both families meet and struggle to learn how to live together for the sake of the girls.

Has anyone had a interest in this besides me? I am very excited. Even more that they have an actual hearing impaired actress as the girl named Daphne Vasquez. I have already set my DirecTV DVR to record the series. I hope it is good and follows about the deaf community.

I'm just disappointed the actress isn't really deaf. But she uses the "deaf voice" through the entire show, and I think it's like mocking deaf people. Why couldn't they find a deaf actress? I know of plenty who would have loved to do it!

LifeOfTheParty said:

I'm just disappointed the actress isn't really deaf. But she uses the "deaf voice" through the entire show, and I think it's like mocking deaf people. Why couldn't they find a deaf actress? I know of plenty who would have loved to do it!

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Who are you talking about? I thought deaf people played deaf people. How do you know about her voice? Are you hearing? If so what can it matter to you.

I am looking forward to the show. I wish people would quit trying to spoil it.

I can't hear her voice. So really if you want to get so technical, why can't the deaf people just sign????

Annoying!

The actress has Meniere's:

'Switched at Birth': Katie Leclerc, Kristin Chenoweth have something in common - From Inside the Box - Zap2it

LifeOfTheParty said:

I'm just disappointed the actress isn't really deaf. But she uses the "deaf voice" through the entire show, and I think it's like mocking deaf people. Why couldn't they find a deaf actress? I know of plenty who would have loved to do it!

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I completely agree! Damn, you've already said it before I do! *sigh*

LifeOfTheParty said:

I'm just disappointed the actress isn't really deaf. But she uses the "deaf voice" through the entire show, and I think it's like mocking deaf people. Why couldn't they find a deaf actress? I know of plenty who would have loved to do it!

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Because it's cheaper to hire a hearing person rather than pay for the process of providing an interpreter. Plus it's faster to communicate their shooting needs by verbal than ASL in which they feel slows them down.

All in all, they're just cheap and lazy....

The actress has Meniere's and is hard of hearing. Using a deaf voice while acting is not a slap in the face to the Deaf Community. She does indeed wear hearing aids in real life. Plus, the reason of the show is for them to cooperate and learn to co-exist as a joined family with the possibility of what could have happened of Daphne had been sent home with her biological family. Would the other girl then have caught meningitis and become deaf?

They choose Katie LeClearc for her fluency in ASL and the fact that she is a young aspiring actress with a lot of talent and experience in film making process.