"Deaf theory": what can we learn from feminist theory?

Feminism is rooted in feminist theory; the Deaf movement, however, has yet to fully name and describe its theoretical roots. In further comparing and contrasting these two "emancipatory knowledges," people can begin to gain a better understanding of "Deaf theory" and, more so, contribute to the emergent foregrounding of the Deaf movement's theoretical roots. So much has been written in feminist theory that the nature and extent of this body of knowledge cannot be wholly represented in the present article. Therefore, this article will focus on two aspects of discussion in feminist theory that are salient to Deaf Studies. The first aspect is the evolution of feminist theory over time; the second aspect, closely linked with the first, is the inclusion of contributions by and/or about women of color and, consequently, the manner in which "difference" as an integral component of feminist theory is negotiated. The comparison of feminist theory and Deaf Studies on these two aspects is the focus of this article.