Life in the Neither World: Identity Work as Relational Negotiation of Authenticity and Stigma Management for Biculturally Deaf Individuals Living between Worlds

This research examines identity negotiation, stigma management, and authenticity strategies utilized by culturally deaf individuals when navigating deviance within hearing, deaf, and Deaf worlds. Data reveal that respondents feel compelled to prove capability and normalizing themselves and deafness when with hearing and to defend and affirm authenticity when with other deaf and culturally Deaf others. These insights increase our awareness of the differing and often competing expectations many stigmatized individuals are expected to manage at a given time and the latent effects of identity work and management on individual agency and identity.