I’m hard of hearing, and my best friend Maya is completely deaf. One afternoon at our favorite café, we were happily chatting in sign language when an entitled mom suddenly demanded we stop, calling it “disruptive” and “inappropriate.” The café went quiet as everyone watched, unsure how to react. It was a painful reminder of how often people misunderstand or judge those who communicate differently.

Growing up, I learned to live between two worlds the hearing world where lip reading and speaking are expected, and the deaf world where hands tell stories louder than words. Maya and I have been…