Description about the painting:
‎This painting is about being proud to be Deaf. The Blue Tape* symbol represents the meaning of tied-down, trapped, crossed-out, mask of benevolence, labeled, ASL prohibited and audism. The Blue Tape on the mouth and ear means 'Leave us alone.' It means 'Do not mess around my Deaf ears and mouth,' 'Do not fix my Deaf ears,' 'I am fine without learning to speak.' To summarize it, this is to say, do not touch my ears and mouth, I am proud for what I am, Deaf. There is a smile behind the blue tape over the mouth.

*The Blue Tape symbol was inspired by the Audism Free America. They hosted their rallies on July 21-23, 2011, in front of the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC to protest the Alexander Graham Bell Association and their Listening and Spoken Language Symposium. They had painter's blue tapes with them. I have used 'blue tape' symbols in many of my paintings.