Have You Checked Your Hearing Privilege? Try This Bingo!

Have you ever considered how much of daily life depends on hearing? If you’re hearing, you might not even notice the advantages you have until you see someone without them. We created a Hearing Privilege Bingo Card for you as a fun, but insightful way to reflect on everyday that many take for granted.

Mark the ones that apply to you, and let’s see how many you get!

Hearing Privilege Bingo

What Do These Categories Mean?

To make things more interesting, we’ve grouped some common hearing privileges into categories just for you. Each one highlights a different way in which hearing people experience advantages that often go unnoticed. Here’s a breakdown of what they mean.

Broadcasting, Telecommunications & Media

Media, public announcements, and communication systems are primarily designed for hearing individuals. From TV and radio to PA systems in airports, hearing people absorb information effortlessly without needing captions, transcripts, or alternative communication methods.

Examples included in the bingo card:

• I can make phone calls anytime, anywhere.
• I can watch movies without worrying about captions.
• I can enjoy radio, podcasts, and TV anytime.
• Auto-captions don’t frustrate me.
• I can understand announcements over speakers.

Interpreters

Hearing individuals never have to rely on interpreters to access education, healthcare, legal services, or social interactions. Many Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing (DDBHH) individuals struggle to find qualified interpreters when needed. This category also highlights the general expectation that DDBHH individuals must accommodate hearing people rather than the other way around.

Examples included in the bingo card:

• I never struggle to get an interpreter.
• I never worry about an interpreter’s skills.
• No one ever made me use a child as an interpreter.
• I trust interpreters to keep things confidential.
• I can join any activity anywhere.

Networking

Professional and social opportunities heavily rely on spoken language, making it easier for hearing individuals to build careers, attend events, and form connections without barriers. DDBHH individuals often experience exclusion, struggle to participate fully, get hearingsplained, or face skepticism about their abilities.

Examples included in the bingo card:

• I can attend networking events at the last minute.
• I can expect not to be ignored by employees who are serving us.
• Conversations never shift to my hearing ability or struggles.
• People tend to believe me.

Gatherings and Encounters

Conversations in noisy environments or group settings are naturally accessible to hearing individuals, who don’t need to rely on lip-reading, captions, or sign language. In contrast, DDBHH individuals often experience exclusion, such as the “dinner table syndrome” where they are left out of conversations at family gatherings, or being dismissed with “I’ll tell you later.”

Examples included in the bingo card:

• I rarely ask people to repeat themselves.
• I can go to any doctor and communicate easily.
• I don’t get stared at for using spoken language.
• I easily follow conversations at family events.
• I never had to reassure people for realizing I’m hearing.

Opportunities

Education, career growth, and daily conveniences are generally built for hearing individuals. DDBHH people often encounter the DDBHH tax, which refers to the extra financial, emotional, and time-related costs they face due to systemic barriers, ineffective policies, and a general lack of accessibility (The DDBHH Tax, 2025).

Examples included in the bingo card:

• My hearing has never cost me a job.
• I never need special accommodations.
• I attend lectures without needing interpreters.
• I can change jobs whenever I want.
• No one doubts my ability to work due to my hearing.

How Many Did You Check?

If you checked off most or all of these, congrats! You have hearing privilege. But don’t worry! This isn’t about guilt. It’s about awareness. Recognizing privilege is the first step toward making the world more accessible.

Now that you know, what can you do to help? Here are a few ideas:

• Provide sign language interpreters whenever needed.
• Turn on captions whenever possible, even if you don’t need them.
• Learn some basic sign language to communicate inclusively.
• Be mindful in group conversations and make sure everyone is included.
• Support accessibility in workplaces, events, and media.
• Be patient with communication differences and never say “never mind.”

What This Means for you?

Hearing privilege isn’t something most people think about because privilege is often invisible when you have it. But by taking a moment to reflect, you can start to notice how much the world is designed for hearing people. Imagine how different your daily life would be if you couldn’t rely on accessible communications or sounds.

Next time you meet someone who is Deaf, DeafBlind or hard of hearing, think about ways to be more inclusive. It can be as simple as ensuring there’s good lighting to communicate, making some gestures, repeating information when needed, or turning on the captions.

Small actions can make a big difference in building a more accessible world for everyone.