Why are hearing aids not socially accepted the same way glasses are? Glasses and hearing aids serve the same purpose, just for different senses. While glasses are considered chic and trendy, hearing aids are more in the category of heinous and an eye sore. Over time, the shape and size of both glasses and hearing aids have changed dramatically, however the stigma surrounding them has remained the same. Hearing aids provoke a negative connotation, immediately bringing to mind an elderly person and a device that needs to be hidden. Glasses bring to mind a positive connotation, playing a key part in Elton John or RDJ’s iconic style. When did society write these norms that define the way that sensory heightening devices are perceived?
Perhaps it has to do with when glasses and hearing aids were invented. Glasses have held longevity since the 1300s, long before hearing aids came around in the 1600s. Or rather it has to do with the lofty prices of hearing aids, with a standard one starting at roughly $1,000, while a pair of glasses average around $200. This proposes another barrier separating glasses and hearing aids because price can play a large role in access to different sensory heightening devices.
As an adolescent having been fitted for hearing aids myself, I wasn’t just considering if hearing aids were necessary for me, I was also considering how I would be viewed and socially accepted while wearing a hearing aid. I wondered why my device was perceived as an eyesore and “barely noticeable,” but my friends who wore glasses, their device was complimented for having “a cool colored lens,” or “really bringing out their eyes.” I know I am not alone in this feat, as 12.5% of children between the ages of 6 and 19 suffer from hearing loss.
Especially in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the muffled speaking behind masks increases the demand for hearing devices. Not only has mask wearing eliminated the tools that those with hearing loss utilize such as lip reading and context clues, but studies have also shown that contracting Covid-19 itself can have side effects that can lead to hearing loss. Many types of viral and bacterial infections can lead to strange and sudden hearing loss, and Covid is no exception. Although it is a rare side effect, (only 7.6% of Covid patients in February of 2021 reporting it) it is still prevalent and raises concerns for an increased need of hearing aids.
The appearance of glasses and hearing aids also play a role in how they are perceived and socially accepted. Glasses have become larger, with bigger lenses and bright, eye-catching colors; hearing aids have become smaller, embedded inside the ear canal, with the goal of being hidden from immediate view. Jennifer Finney Boylan’s article “Glasses are Cool. Why Aren’t Hearing Aids?” asks the thought provoking question: “Why is it that the biggest compliment someone can give you about your hearing aids is ‘I can hardly see them’?” New technology such as bluetooth evolves with hearing aids, which is now embedded inside some devices and can be linked to music, phone calls, and more everyday functions.
In my own experience, as I was being fitted for hearing aids, my audiologist brought out multiple options for me to try, introducing them as “easily covered by your hair,” or “blends right n with your skin tone.” I found myself wondering why I was constantly being reassured that I wouldn’t be made fun of for a particular option of hearing aid. Why is it that my uncontrollable conductive hearing loss is something that I seemed to need to be ashamed of?
This may not be a personal problem for you, however you never know if your future children, partner, niece, nephew, or friend will or may be suffering from hearing loss. The question then becomes: how do we change the social stigma? Where does society start in order to change the way that hearing aids as an entirety are perceived? Perhaps the pandemic will begin to fan the flame bringing attention to the bad reputation that hearing aids inadvertently receive. It may take many more years for the perspective to begin to shift, however I believe that with the young people in need of hearing devices using their voices for change, a new beginning may be a lot closer than we may think.
About the Author: Katie Zarzour is a junior at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a curious learner who has a passion for creative writing and interest in a career in journalism. She runs cross country and track at her high school as well as owning her own small business: M&K Macarons.