Way to go sister for speaking up! I wondered where you disappeared to. Can hearing impaired persons activate a switch of some kind—is the technology there— to see you as picture in picture?
1
That is accessibility and diversity representation
Simple Rule for #SuperBowl TV Producers to follow:
~ Everyone can hear
~ Everyone can read CC
~ Deaf can see ASL
(PIP, Bubble, Split Screen & next to singer)
#AccessibilityLens
See for yourself: Last time they did right Super Bowl 2015.
https://youtu.be/M6iyLwOdi7w
2
I actually noticed you for the split second you were on and wanted to see more. You looked so spirited. You’re right. It IS time.
49
Thank you
5
Perhaps those pointing out that the anthem was closed captioned do not realize that the captions are in English. ASL is not English-on-the-hands. ASL is a separate language with a distinct grammar. Yes, most Deaf Americans know English enough to read captions, but losing the richness of Ms. Kim’s performance was a loss to us all, hearing and Deaf.
7
Ms. Kim, thanks for speaking out, and for showing me where I could see your performance. I am a hearing person and have never seen these songs in ASL, they were both beautiful. I was moved to tears by your performance of the national anthem—it made the overly familiar words fresh with meaning!
1
In our time of narrow cast media the Super Bowl offers a moment of collective attention. Celebrating the signing of the anthem as an artistic endeavor on a par with singing it was a great opportunity which the broadcast appears to have missed.
What is more surprising is that even in our world of narrow cast on demand video of everything it was not possible to find a stream of the performance after the game. Glad I was finally able to see it with the link provided.
America the beautiful indeed!
21
I didnt know signing could be so beautiful! Thanks for this article. Otherwise I would of missed this creative lady!
1
Bravíssima! Wonderful, wondeful performance. One to be shared in schools.
Thank you! For your essential reminder that the aspiration of American equality and the reality of that concept still has a very long road to travel until they meet in harmony. And, often overlooked or diminished are those with disabilities. The Super-Bowl is a moment where we should do better. The fact that we did not shouldn’t be wrapped in excuses. It was our collective failure.
1
I am a second grade teacher and was discussing with my class how disappointed I was that they only shows seconds of your performance! What I saw of you looked memorable. Thanks for writing this thoughtful piece as well. I will definitely look up your whole performance to show my class.
Bravo Ms.Kim! For this op ed, for speaking out when you can and finding a platform. Just as many of us have “white privilege” whether we realize it or not, we also don’t grasp the significance of the challenges that are presented or opportunities denied to those who are deaf, blind, or otherwise physically or mentally denied of fully enjoying life’s gifts. If we could all “see” our fellow humans instead of being focused only on our needs in the world, we might become a more compassionate, caring society and all be “richer” as a result.
2
ASL is a beautiful language and I am sorry your performances weren't honored and shown as they should have been.
If a tree falls in the woods....
I was excited when I heard Demi Lovato had been chosen to sing the National Anthem. She has a beautiful voice and a compelling story so I made sure to be in front of my TV for the National Anthem. Of course I was not equally anticipating a signed performance of the Anthem. It did not occur to me to think about it or care.
When the camera briefly focused on Ms Sun Kim I was instantly mesmerized by the way she seemed to use her entire body to perform. Then she was gone. I lingered for a beat or two, wishing the camera had not panned away before any thought of Sun Kim vanished. I mean vanished.
Not for a single second did it occur to me to think "What is the point" -- not as others have offered, "Why sign if not Spanish or Chinese, or or or" but "What is the point of inviting someone to perform the anthem sign language if her performance is not visible on my screen?"
I take a little (undeserved) pride in the fact that something of the experience remained in the back of my mind which can be the only reason I read Ms Sun Kim's essay which exposed my own lack of awareness and more important, exposed me to the very real issues the deaf confront that I can't see. And hopefully will serve as a reminder to be mindful that there are walls I don't see experienced daily by Spanish speakers, the Queer community, people experiencing depression or anxiety, or loneliness....
44
I would like to hear someone sing The Star Spangled Banner with the musical notes as written.
1
I didn’t miss you, you were great.
1
Why didn't the NFL put a football shaped stage for Ms. Kim to stand on? If anything, her "performance" was more visual than Ms. Lovato?
Not being PC here, just being practical. People seem to defend stupidity and thoughtlessness just for the sake of it, and it is quite frankly so tedious. What would it cost ANYBODY to put a decent platform on which the signer stands and signs? I do not know ASL, but I am proud to live in a community which makes the effort to include all of its citizens and residents in its activities. I feel proud of America every time I see a disabled person wheeling themselves into a building or entering a public bus which has lowered the entrance step to enable them easy access. All the churches, temples and mosques in the world are no substitute for these acts of genuine grace. What is the value in bickering about it?
Worst case, the NFL and networks made a dumb mistake, they did not think it through, their emphasis is on fake things, why do people jump in and defend it like they were in on the decision-making and know what really transpired. It was a lousy thing they did, whether she is deaf or black or white or whatever, they served her and all of us poorly by showing a lack of thought.
3
I'm sorry I didn't get to see your performance Christine... thank you for speaking up and letting your cause be known!
Outrageous. They should have placed you right next to Lovato so that everyone could see the two of you together. It's beautiful to see the message signed at the same time we hear it.
I’ll note that the official NFL’s YouTube channel posted the full halftime show performance (as I type, it’s #1 on YouTube’s trending) without making closed captions available.
They’ll follow the letter of the law and caption on TV, but the world is going digital now (my family only has YouTube TV and no cable!) and captions should be required for all video uploads done by organizations of a certain stature.
Accessibility matters, and if we want to include Deaf and hard of hearing folks in public life, we need to commit to making common sense requirements like requiring closed captioning.
If the NFL will caption it when they show it on TV, they should caption it when they show it on YouTube. Things like this expose the truth- they don’t really care about including their Deaf audience, they only care about making a profit.
20
Ms. Christine Kim: I was delighted to see a brief glimpse of your smiling face, your enthusiasm, and your radiance at the Super Bowl. I wanted to see more of your performance and was surprised that Fox did not have a split screen. I hope to see your entire performance at next year's Super Bowl.
29
The NFL may have supported the deaf and signing for decades, but obviously the Fox producers do not share the same commitment. In a world where split screen technology is frequently used, even a very small separate visual would have been both appropriate and empathetic. But it is Fox, after all.
21
@Jack Sonville Right. Is it a surprise that Fox would not share the same commitment?
I'm not deaf, and I don't sign, nor understand sign language. I watched the video linked at the end of the opinion piece, and I was wondering how much of that performance a deaf person would understand. If you showed the video of her performance to a deaf person who is fluent in ASL, someone who doesn't know the words to the song "America the Beautiful" - and asked that deaf person to write down what she was signing, what would that person write down?
Was she literally signing words? Because to me, it looked more like a dance performance, an interpretation of feelings, than a recitation of the words of a song.
3
I am not fluent on ASL, however I recognized some words that I know in her signing. Ms. Kim´s performance was a beautiful interpretation. She was singing, as passionately as any singer. I wish more people would be more educated on this. If you see a performer sing in a language you do not know, would you doubt whether she is singing the correct lyrics? I don´t think so. Less prejudice and more open minds is what this diverse country needs.
26
Isn’t singing more than the plain recitation of words? Would it have been better for Ms. Lovato to simply read the text of “The Star Spangled Banner?” We add beauty and deepen meaning by singing rather than simply speaking. The same could be said for ASL and the way Ms. Kim enhances the “plain” gestures by moving with grace and beauty.
12
@Alexandra Dixon
A Deaf person fluent in sign would understand all of the song. She was actually singing words and concepts and ideas. ASL is a different language than English, so if you asked a Deaf person to translate the song into English, you wouldn’t get the exact word for word as the song, but the ideas and concepts would be the same.
14
Oh my, Ms Kim, the youtube of your performance brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.
8
Brava, brava 💐💐 and thank you for this wonderfully written piece. The ADA was passed with great bipartisan support and remains among our finest hours as a nation which you have reminded us of. Thank you again.
6
The ADA is fantastic. But we are in deep trouble if passing it was our finest hour Instead of the norm.
1
Thank you for sharing your story, and for all the work you do. I wish you nothing but the best! PS your outfit was glorious!
6
The commentary, commercials, half-time show and all interesting parts of this spectacle are not accompanied by sign language. If you're going to complain, complain about that. I don't see the need to sign something that everyone already knows or can look up instantly. Honestly, I thought this was a farcical show of inclusion to begin with, and sure enough they only showed a couple of seconds of it.
3
We listen to it being sung every game despite knowing the words. Why shouldn’t deaf audiences be able to ‘listen’ as well? How strange to feel the need to comment on what you think someone else shouldn’t want.
22
The other televised stuff is supposed to be accompanied by captions. Her signing isn't just for the people at home but also for the people in the stadium who are deaf or hard of hearing. If you've never seen music signed before, I implore you to look it up. It adds feeling and beauty that captions simply don't.
1
@KS
The NFL includes a Deaf performer for the National Anthem every year. It’s up to the media to decide what we see. And maybe even the person singing. The year Garth Brooks performed the national Anthem, he insisted that Marlee Matlin be right next to him on the stage while signing.
There’s a difference between a performance and commentary, commercials etc. That’s like saying Demi Lovato should have just stood there and read the lyrics since the commentary and commercials aren’t sung. And, in fact, the half time show was interpreted live on DPAN-TV (Deaf Professional Artists Network). Deaf people get the job done. There are also lead up articles and interviews about the ASL performaners every year. The performer spends hours preparing, rehearsing. So yeah, it’s a big deal to Deaf people and every year its the same thing. 2 seconds on the screen. Stop telling people what to complain about (especially when it doesn’t affect your life in any way) and show some support.
1
Thank you for pointing out your performance, Ms. Kim. It was the only part of the Super Bowl that interested me. Your signing was delightful, inspiring, made my heart swell and brought a tear to my eye. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
15
It’s 2020. I’m sad that you have to write an article to be seen. Thank you for speaking up and highlighting the rainbows that we often missed. Beautiful, Ms. Kim.
20
Ms Kim, I did not miss your performance, and while my ASL is woefully stale, I am always thrilled to see a translation performed and not just recitated. There was much I didn’t agree with HW on, but the ADA (even though working in an 1800s mansion meant filling a lot of we can’t comply paperwork) was a great start. It doesn’t go far enough, but it was a good start. Hopefully someday “accommodations” will be considered just being a good person/job/company.
8
Watch Ms. Kim’s performance on YouTube. It is beautiful and inspiring. She signed every bit as passionately as how Demi Lovato performed.
10
Thank you Christine! What you did was beautiful, and a powerful tribute to our nation. A reminder to all of us that everyone in this great nation deserves to share in the joy, fun, elation, of our great moments.
There was not nearly enough coverage of your performance, a sad loss for all of us. It was an opportunity missed, for everyone who could have witnessed the joyous expression of sign language, and shared in the richness of that moment.
Even if the NFL and FOX blew it.....as a fellow American, I am proud of you. I am humbled by your strength, talent and artistic power. Thank you.
11
I kept asking my spouse if they could bring you back on for the 1/2 time show instead of showing the strip show.
You were animated and passionate about your singing until I was corrected. It's signing.
I'm also dyslexic.
9
ASL is a beautiful language. It is like looking at dancing with the hands.
6
I am touched by Christine Kim’s words. THANK you, Christine for taking the time to do this. The issue is about when we were given the chance to see the National Anthem in ASL, why cut it REAL short? What bugs me more is when people state how we are whining, an ongoing misleading judgment of us Deaf people. It just breaks my heart when our views are being misrepresented as we try to share our language for many like you to understand the beauty of ASL. Not to mention, we have many who do not realize we have Deaf children who do not acquire a language so that they could learn about the world. An anchor for families who will come to realize the opportunity of learning ASL is of great importance! If this is considered whining, so be it!
12
Oh, my, as George Takei might say.
One would hope that a medium as visual as television would be awake and alive to the possibilities offered by a language which is also primarily visual. Apparently that hope is forlorn.
Could we offer the National Anthem in Spanish for Spanish speakers, Mandarin for speakers of that language and so on? We could, but not simultaneously without strenuous auditory overload. A signed anthem, visible from start to finish, alongside the English (or language-of-choice) version, would perfectly express a message of inclusion.
The US has no official language, permitting all of us to express ourselves in multiple tongues, including those in which we learn our first prayers, our first expressions of love, and in which we share our first hopes, fears, and dreams. The Deaf, no less than the speakers of Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog and many, many others, deserve to be "heard."
85
@Jane Hunt How about closed captioning as "a message of inclusion"?
8
@Joseph
How about nobody sings the National Anthem and everyone reads the lyrics as they scroll past on a screen?
26
@Joseph closed captioning only does so much, and actually helps more hearing individuals than Deaf ones. American Sign Language is it's own language, not a direct translation of English. A lot of Deaf individuals struggle with English because the grammar is completely different.
22
Well said. What is your next 6 months plan in representing NAD and fighting for the Deaf community? I am confused but open to your strategy. How will you continue your Deaf advocacy while living as a sound artist in Berlin? Just a thought.
3
I wanted to reply to your comment. If you know Christine Sun Kim’s work, you will see she’s done amazing art exhibitions and shows that breaks away barriers and shifts many old assumptions about the Deaf community. Her work is influential globally and she’s pretty much a global citizen. She’s been a TED fellow (watch her wonderful talk) and her advocacy work shines through her creativity. Her strategy, I would believe, is to stay unashamedly real and unafraid.
She inspires many others by doing what she does.
10
Can someone explain the point of signing here? The words to the the national anthem and "America the Beautiful" are widely known and easily available to anyone who doesn't know them, and it's not like the singer was going change them around. So what value does a signer add, other than acting as a virtue signal? I mean, there was no simultaneous translation for Spanish or Chinese or any other non-English spoken language. So why sign language ?
65
@JohnB Signing also conveys emotions and other important nonverbals that those of us who can hear would get from the singer's inflection...except those who are deaf or hard of hearing would not hear that because...well...think about it.
45
@JohnB. Why wouldn’t you turn off the sound and read the transcript when the music comes on?
That’s why.
75
that's like saying, why sing the anthem bc everyone knows the words
125
I am an ear surgeon who was born with severe hearing loss. I was in awe of your performance. What hit home for me was this: Being deaf in America has always been political. There's nothing political about wanting to be included. How inclusion occurs is personal for everyone with hearing loss. There are a variety of ways to communicate with hearing loss--sign language, hearing aids, and cochlear implants. They all have their pros and cons. Thank you for highlighting the beauty of sign language.
277
Great piece, Ms Kim. I would disagree that you have been afforded certain “privileges “ such as closed captioning and interpreters. These are “rights”.
I hope that in future years, the NFL will provide a divided screen with a sign language interpreter for the entire anthem
192
Or maybe just one screen with ASL, and closed captioning for those of us who don’t know ASL, so we can follow along.
Or if two songs are presented— Star Spangled plus America the Beautiful— maybe one in each language....
Or: since the Super Bowl moves around year to year, why not highlight different languages that are prominent in the host city?
That would really show the true beauty of America.
4
@Lawyermom That's why for years the NFL provides closed captioning for all games. The author appears to just want to hog the spotlight as a way to emphasize her disability, as the camera's did not focus solely on anyone during the singing.
4
The point of having someone sign is for it to be seen... Because, you know, deaf people surely can't hear the hand movements or the actual sung words.
4
Christine, Thank you for your performance. I am a hearing parent of a deaf man and I have always considered it a gift to know sign language. Early on, a deaf adult told me my face was "flat" when I signed so I became more animated. Your expressiveness is a teachable moment for all parents of deaf kids!
Your expression conveys the awe of the country described in the lyrics and it is truly the most patriotic act I have ever witnessed. Great job.
297
@Maria Thank you for learning sign language for your child(ren), a lot of hearing parents do not (not always /necessarily their fault - the advice and consultation received for raising a deaf kid might have been a factor.
17
I just watched Ms. Kim's full signings on Youtube. It gave me chills and a lump in my throat. Thank you Christine Kim.
18
Wow! I had no idea Ms Kim signed these songs. So, I just watched both performances on YouTube via the links in this op article. SPECTACULAR, Ms Kim!!! Bravo, bravo, bravo!
19
Beautiful performance, it should have been shown during the game, in its entirety. It’s not just about the words, ASL Is not signed English. If you watch the videos, you can see it’s about the performance. Just the same as the singers performance is their interpretation of the music.
12
Most deaf people nowadays don’t even know Sign Language, thanks to cochlear implants. Only the capital D Deaf Community relies on it exclusively, but they are a dwindling group. Captions help everyone and are sufficient.
7
@agj You are right about more deaf kids are getting cochlear implants. However, the language deprivation is alarmingly increasing and make me wondering if we should thank to cochlear implants? Probably not.
2
I'm having a difficult time understanding those who feel signing the National Anthem was a pointless gesture. The last time I checked, the Deaf enjoy the arts and culture as much as anyone else, (including other differently abled folk). At some point, people have to accept the fact that all people deserve to enjoy a performance in a way best suited to their needs.
15
the American Sign Language symbol for "America" is beautiful. May it be so. Thank you for your eloquence, Christine Sun Kim!
8
I read your fine article.
Then, I watched you sign and perform those two stirring pieces of our American fabric.
Now, I'm wiping tears from my cheeks.
The words and feelings of the two patriotic musical anthems became living things through your movements and signs.
Breathtaking.
The sign for "America" looked like an encompassing circle made with both hands- as if the true concept of America is an embrace.
A welcoming embrace of a nation for all who willingly embrace its shared creed of tolerance, human dignity and rights inseparable from life itself.
No matter where ones life began.
21
She is right - what’s the point of signing the National Anthem if you’re not going to show it? I have a cousin who for decades thought she was a little mentally slow (and all her family as well) but when she had a hearing test at the age of 23 she discovered she was hard of hearing. She was devastated as she couldn’t understand why no one in the family had ever had her hearing checked. All these years we all thought she was slow but it turns out it was her hearing.
9
With all the American militarism at glorious display, it seemed more like a Nazi or North Korean propaganda rally than a sporting event.
10
That’s what I thought too. And the focus on the gyrating on stage juxtaposed next to the beauty on screen to sign miss Kim a serious contrast in taste.
5
@ Carol
Yes, I thought the juxtaposition was completely bizarre.
1
And a second thought. If you felt you “performed,” instead of provided a basic service, you have an ego problem. It wasn’t about you.
6
Isn’t it akin to the difference between someone singing the songs (providing entertainment), versus simply reading the lyrics (providing a service)? Were the singers there as performers fulfilling their own egos or because Super Bowl viewers wanted to be entertained? Christine Sun Kim could have stood there and gone through the motions without any emotional display. She was giving it her all for the enjoyment of her audience. A beautiful pair of performances in my opinion.
6
"Basic service"? I'm guessing Demi Lovato didn't consider it a "basic service"...
I wish Fox had put up subtitles in Arabic for America's many immigrants from the Middle East. That would have been so welcoming? Also Spanish, Tagalog, Mandarin, Armenian, and Urdu.
5
As a professional working to ensure access for individuals with disabilities, I was glad to see the announcement of the performance and excited to watch. Then they immediately cut away and only returned for a brief moment. I was very upset. How foolish...and ineffective.
10
BRAVO!
2
Networks...get it together
19
What did you expect from Fox? Inclusion???
5
A beautiful song, made all the more beautiful by Ms. Kim's ASL signing.
21
This was a fantastic moment. This is what America is about. This is a country that appreciates everyone regardless of the disability they have. Thank you for making us realize what truly matters.
9
...people who can't see are helped across the street by strangers, those who can't hear are yelled at by their family.
At the root of equality is understanding and kindness.
We should fully include everyone, and then we can all share the benefits of doing so. The irony that this debate is over the national anthem is searing.
16
Oddly, many believe the blind are also deaf. When I go out to restaurants with friends who are blind, I am often asked by wait staff what they want to eat. I say, “Why don’t you ask them?”
Blind and deaf are often helped in ways they do not need help, and are not given the help they need.
Showing the Sign Language versions—even if only in bonus material—would have served the needs of the deaf and would have increased the awareness of others that the deaf exist and have needs to hear the songs of our culture, not just the sports guys on the field.
2
I was thrilled for the few seconds that I was able to see Ms Kim. Looking at the players awkwardly standing, not so much. To paraphrase: Face it Ms Kim. It’s The Fox Network.
28
A real shame it was not shown. I took my daughter to the ACL Music Fest in Austin this year and during many of the performances, right at stage front a person signed and danced the lyrics. We watched them as much as the performers, and we are not deaf nor, unfortunately, do we know sign language. Just beautiful.
16
Nearly everyone knows the words to the national anthem. We don't tune in to watch Demi Loveto perform it to hear the words. It seems like a real missed opportunity to not show Christine Sun Kim's performance in full. Perhaps if they had shown it, not as many would suggest closed captioning as a suitable substitute.
30
@Tired it’s not a performance.
1
Thats like majoring on the minors. She was beautiful and to sign can easily be considered not only art but also preformed.
1
@ChrisW
How is it not a performance? She is a Deaf artist performing the national anthem in her native language just like Demi Lovato was performing. She studied the words, decided how she would express their meaning, sought feedback from deaf friends, rehearsed, chose her outfit....she was not just standing up there as an interpreter.
4
I understand where this individual is coming from and respect her efforts to give the deaf more access to things. I hadn't heard of some of the incidents in the article and I know that being deaf must be really hard from a communication standpoint.
But I ask this question out of genuine curiosity and maybe a bit of ignorance. The broadcast already has closed captioning and even the deaf, likely know the words to the National Anthem.
So what extra value is there to a deaf person in being able to see the person signing the anthem? Is it about pacing? Closed Captions are typically delayed so by signing the song in real-time, you get to truly understand the pace in which the song is being sung.
But other than pace, I don't see the value in it being broadcast. But maybe pace is enough to make it worth showing.
Those closer to the deaf community can enlighten me on this please.
8
@Mark
ASL isn’t just “English in the hands” like many people think. It is a completely separate language and Expresses concepts and ideas visually.
Yes, everyone knows the words to the National anthem, But expecting deaf people to be happy with closed captions is like saying we should all just recite the words to the National Anthem without anyone singing it. Would that have the same emotional impact? I know I tear up every time I hear the national anthem being sung. It’s the same for Deaf people to see an expressive interpretation of the song being performed visually.
38
Mark, it's not just about the words, or the pacing, it's also about the performance. Otherwise, why is it significant that Demi Lovato sang the anthem? the words and the anthem have a big value. The artist and performance also add value to the moment.
35
@Mark
Because English is Deaf’s second language, ASL usually is Deaf’s first language. That’s why many of us prefer watching ASL. And also some Deaf may not read well, too. I emphasize some, not all.
Many of us are not happy that the camera only shot less than 5 seconds every year, never fail at that much to our frustration.
Thank you.
Misha
15
When FOX introduced Christine Sun Kim’s performance, I was excited, not just because of making the songs accessible, but because I wanted to enjoy the performance as well as the sung numbers. Instead, I spent the entire time yelling at the TV for showing more than a couple of seconds. If you’re going to do it, do it right! And then to hear they cut away from her in the dedicated feed? What jerks.
62
@Geralyn Abiander
Darn right - and I also heard there were some famous people in the audience that were not standing for the performance as well...!
That was a bit of a playful jab - but it plays off the serious thought that the anthem performances and the anthem are important moments where we should draw together...
2
I just watched the entire performance- so beautiful!!! You enhanced the meaning of both songs for everyone. Thank you for your performance and your letter in the NYTimes so I could see it.
66
I read about Ms. Kim's signing beforehand and actually tuned in early to see it. What a huge disappointment that it was only shown for a few seconds! Really Fox? We have learned not to expect much, but would it be too much to have asked for a split screen? What a beautiful moment to have been missed!
99
The entire Super Bowl, including the pre-game and half-time songs and entertainment, were broadcast with closed captioning, so all with hearing disabilities could enjoy it. Is your disappointment then just that you were not given the same airtime as the other entertainers? The cameras were not solely focused on either Yolanda nor Demi during their singing, but rather were panning the players and the spectators throughout the performances. NO ONE received exclusive airtime. It thus appears that your concerns are more about advancing your personal agenda than providing unfettered access to the game for those with disabilities. One could easily suspect this when you began your editorial with a long list of identities, presumably to gather support for all those you feel have been discriminated against. The Super Bowl represents the pinnacle of lack of discrimination however, as the players are not selected or denied based on their race, religion, ethnicity, political beliefs or sexual preference. Rather, they are chosen because they are the best at what they do, play football. Further, the audience attends in order to watch football, not to be subjected to political agendas. It that is what you wished to advance, then participate in a commercial in which you are the sole speaker. No one would deny your right to make your case then.
25
@Dr B,
Thank you for these comments but I believe you might have missed a key point that Ms. Kim (whom I know) was trying to make. (Aside: I'm a hearing person who's also a sign-language interpreter.)
Even while the cameras panned the sidelines to show the players, as you noted, you and I could still hear Ms. Adams sing "America the Beautiful" and Ms. Lovato sing the anthem. However, neither of us were able to enjoy Ms. Kim's signing of the anthem because ASL is presented as a visual, not aural, medium and Fox didn't show her on its air for more than a few seconds.
If you recall, and as Ms. Kim noted, her presentation was visible "in a bubble" (my words) on the big screens in the stadiums, super-imposed onto the same sideline-spanning video that Fox aired. Why that couldn't also happen on Fox's broadcast as well is what I understand Ms. Kim, and many others such as Ms. Matlin, to be perplexed by, and I join them in this.
178
@Bram Weiser
Exactly. I couldn’t have said it better myself!
Disclaimer: I’m Deaf and American Sign Language is my language. It’s a visual language, not auditory. Hearing people often forget this important difference. You can hear the song, while we, the Deaf do not, so when the camera moves out of sight, we miss out. Captions are in English- not the same!
Thanks!
73
@Bram Weiser Appreciate your kindly worded comments, and I get your point. Still, the tone and language used by Ms Kim in her editorial suggested she is presenting herself as an oppressed minority, not someone concerned about those with hearing disabilities being able to enjoy the game. I still feel my point about viewers was correct; no one got exclusive coverage during the festivities. Ms Kim was broadcast in a bubble at the stadium so those who could not hear could watch her sign. Those watching on TV did not need that aid as the songs were closed captioned.
17
Eloquently written, Christine.
I read some of the comments, and I thought one point should be clarified.
"On what was supposed to be a “bonus feed” dedicated to my full performance on the Fox Sports website, the cameras cut away to show close-ups of the players roughly midway through each song."
She is correct to explain that on foxsports.com, they offered a separate and dedicated feed for the ASL performance of the anthem and "America is Beautiful." However, in that feed, the director/cameraperson cut off the performance halfway through and panned on some athletes, and closed captioning was turned off. So for us Deaf viewers watching the dedicated feed, we were cut off.
I do hope in the future we will see ASL presented as a picture in picture, as they commonly do on BBC news and other television channels across Europe.
40
@Christopher Tester
Thank you for this clarification. Helpful. But I still don't think the grievance is entirely fair. I can imagine that a deaf fan of the 49ers or Chiefs would have been happy to see some of the players and coaches during the Anthem. Similarly, I am not deaf but find it extremely odd that they cut away from the performers (and even the people in the building) in order to show live feeds of soldiers in Qatar. The whole thing is a production where they're trying to make a lot of people feel good about something. I find it all distracting and demeaning to each of the interest groups that appear for 2 seconds during these performances.
3
"a child of immigrants, a grandchild of refugees, a Deaf woman of color, an artist and a mother." Wow! Ms. Kim sure scores a lot of points on the identity scoreboard. No wonder the NFL and the producers wanted her there...for 2 seconds. In those 2 seconds they were able to check a lot of boxes. Then they needed to move on to all the other things that they really want us to know they care about: the singers, the flag, some veterans, some players, some active military live from Qatar (in the middle of the night)....
Recommended reading: 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' exposes the absurdity of linking together all of these ideas and emotions, particularly jingoistic patriotism, to a football game. The entire spectacle is a dog and pony show and Ms. Kim was part of it.
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ATSC 3.0 will make a lot of things like this much easier. It is being rolled out this year and will take a few before most people have the tuners capable of using the features.
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Ms Kim is a graduate of NTID, the National Institute for the Deaf, which we are proud to have on our RIT campus. Watching the half time program last night I was equally disappointed that her performance was given about 2 seconds of viewing time. We have interpreters at our events at RIT as well as in the classroom, interpreting for our deaf attendees and students; their dedication to their work is witnessed on countless occasions. When interpreting music, it is more than signing. It requires artistry that is likened to a dance along with interpreting the words. It is a beautiful thing. A shame those watching on TV were unable to experience it.
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@Nancy Munson
I teach at Rochester Institute of Technology and want to echo the sentiments in Nancy Munson’s great post! I was disappointed watching the event because I didn’t even catch Ms. Kim’s cameo on the Fox broadcast. I was looking for it but missed it. Ironically during the anthem I was telling my niece about RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf because she is learning to sign in elementary school in Buffalo. She is part of the hearing community but is really interested in sign language. I told her what a great privilege it was to teach deaf students and work with interpreters in class. Ms. Kim’s signing and singing performance of the Anthem should have been a great moment of outreach and inclusion. Sadly it was lost on TV. Fox should have done better!
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Although ASL is beautiful, your performance was undoubtedly intended for the live audience. The deaf community who watching the broadcast presumably had subtitles available. The song performances were incredibly beautiful and the program director may have felt that the deaf community would use subtitles and a split screen would have been distracting, especially to most Americans who cannot read ASL.
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@Christopher Rillo Just because the deaf community had subtitles available doesn't mean they wouldn't prefer to see the anthems expressed in their own language.
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@Christopher Rillo
It's now 2020....how about we reframe the "it's distracting to hearing people" narrative to a more inclusive "it will enhance the visual experience for ALL viewers" narrative. In addition to providing access to millions of Deaf and Hard-of-hearing American viewers, it's an educational opportunity for the millions of HS and college students who take ASL as their foreign language requirement. It's long past time to simply do the right thing. There is absolutely no reason not to.
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On almost all of the games I watch the sound is off. I can see what's going on and the commentary is usually never that important.
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Thank you for the beautiful performance. As a hearing person, the words have become familiar to me. Your performance reminded me of the essence of what our anthem means - and brought tears.
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I’m not surprised that the majority of people would rather see Jennifer Lopez twerking than something as beautiful as this. 
Thanks for this article. 
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@Eileen Culligan
The "majority of people" didn't get the option to choose what they would "rather see" since Fox cut away from the ASL performance.
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I viewed the performance. Is this an ASL interpretation of the lyrics? Or is it a pantomime that accompanies the song? Can an ASL commenter kindly respond?
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@mls ASL refers to American Sign Language which is a language in its own right with vocabulary, grammar, syntax, etc. What is "pantomime" to you is arranging objects (vocabulary) words visually in space and performing actions on them. The meaning of words and sentences change with facial expression and nuances to sign (e.g. signing faster).
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@Chad Ruffin, MD
Thank you. So, an ALS-literate person who does not know these lyrics would understand the lyrics from Ms. Kim's gestures?
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@mls yes, the same as if they were spoken in English to someone who speaks English. Each movement of the hands, where they are in relation to the body, the speed, etc along with facial expressions changes meaning slightly. What a lot of people don't realize is that ASL has it's own grammar. For example, the word order is different from English, like Spanish is. It's similar to how even if you had a Spanish dictionary you wouldn't be fluent in Spanish. You need to know how to congegate verbs and word order.
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