7 Deaf TikTok Creators You Can’t Miss

Few communities are as misunderstood as the d/Deaf community. Outdated ideas about deaf communication and a lack of understanding about hearing loss are often to blame. Each September, Deaf Awareness Month offers a chance to educate about the challenges, contributions, and culture of the Deaf (and every May, National Speech-Language-Hearing Month offers a similar chance). Only recently has deafness been spoken about more widely, in large part thanks to social media, which has united d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities from around the globe. In fact, anyone wanting to learn more from a vibrant community of Deaf creators can find a wealth of learning resources and quality entertainment on TikTok.

TikTok has created a space for Deaf influencers to educate, entertain, and otherwise bridge the gap in understanding deafness and accessibility. Celebrate Deaf Awareness month with Rev as we explore an eclectic mix of binge-worthy content from these 7 d/Deaf TikTok creators.

1. Patrick McMullin & Big Ben 

Patrick McMullin & Big Ben are a Deaf comedy duo out of Detroit. While their content consists mostly of pranks and skits, it also educates. The friends take questions from fans and answer them in hilarious and irreverent ways. Each member of the duo has their own Facebook and Instagram pages, but the best place to see their work is on their TikTok channel. With 1.2 million followers, @patrickandbigben produces light-hearted content on a regular basis. They can be mildly crude at times, but their odd-couple dynamic and genuine desire to make viewers laugh makes them worth a follow.

2. Scarlet Watters

A native of Washington D.C., Scarlet Watters lost her hearing at the age of three and learned to sign. She is an enthusiastic advocate for closed captioning for all TikTok videos. With an impressive 6.5 million followers, she is one of the most popular Deaf TikTok creators. She initially rose to fame for her series “Deaf Kardashians,” where she reenacts iconic Kardashian scenes complete with costume changes and a perfect “crying Kim” face. Fans love her elegant, fluid hand movements and describe her ASL style as “sassy.” Scarlet blends entertainment, ASL musical covers, and Deaf education seamlessly. Find her on TikTok: @scarlet_may.1

3. Andy Pleasants

Self-described “talkative nonverbal,” Anderson Pleasants is a 21-year old political science student at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is a Deaf advocate who calls attention to those with facial differences. With 314,000 TikTok followers at @andyispleasants, he challenges misconceptions about facial differences and seeks connection with others on the basis of commonalities. In 2017, he was featured in a TedXyouth talk where he tells his story. Andy maintains a YouTube channel and is on Facebook and Instagram, but produces primarily on TikTok. Andy is a must-follow for great vibes and powerful messages about identity and complexity.

4. Dallin Smuin 

25-year-old Dallin Smuin is a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Despite having two cochlear implants and wearing hearing aids, he uses ASL to communicate and uses his platform to promote inclusivity. With his blonde mane and surfer-boy looks, much of his content involves Dallin in the outdoors doing sporty activities—something that sets him apart from many other Deaf TikTok creators. He offers his 187 thousand followers a mix of ASL tips, education about cochlear implants, and honest takes on the social challenges faced by the hard-of-hearing. He is most active on TikTok, where his handle is @dallinsmuin.

5. Otis Jones

A Black creator whose videos are mostly produced in his red and blue lit bedroom, Otis Jones brings a distinctly “in da club” vibe to his content. Unlike other Deaf TikTok creators, his content is just ASL music interpretations and ASL lessons. With 625,300 followers on his TikTok channel @slntwrldddd, it is a surprise that there is almost no information available about Otis, including his age, location, or any personal information, which is refreshing on a platform where most creators are so personality-focused. This is a great follow for music lovers and people looking to pick up some basic ASL.

6. Beth & Coop

This is an unusual account, detailing the experiences of Beth Leipholtz, a hearing mother, and Cooper, her son who is deaf due to Waardenburg Syndrome. He has two cochlear implants and she is raising him with both speech and ASL. Their TikTok channel @beth_and_coop has 775,100 followers. To learn more about Cooper’s condition and their backstory, her webpage goes deeper into the family’s history. Her channel is a great resource for parents with deaf infants, filled with useful information and their family’s journey navigating life with a deaf child.

7. Becky Mingins

Becky Mingins is a gay British creator with 885,100 followers on her TikTok account, @beckyyhelen. She uses  British sign language (BSL) and has a cochlear implant. She and her Deaf girlfriend, Helen, offer up a combination of funny skits, BSL lessons, BSL songs (delivered with fantastic emotion)–while answering questions from fans. Becky works as a swimming instructor and is very active, often shown cycling or swimming. For exposure to a slightly different sign language than ASL in a different cultural context, this account is a wonderful follow.

Learning More About Deaf Culture On TikTok

The d/Deaf community on TikTok is thriving and filled with thousands of diverse creators. To continue learning and discovering more,  check out hashtags such as #abilitynotdisability, #deaf, #deafworld, #deafawareness, #deaftalent, #deaflove, #hardofhearing, and #deafeducation. And to learn more about American Sign Language, explore hashtags like #asl, #signlanguage, #americansignlanguage, #learnsignlanguage, and #learnasl.

You can also check out our posts on famous Deaf people and Being Deaf in a Digital World to learn more about the members of this community in the public eye.