Letter to the editor: Masks create barrier for hearing-impaired Mainer

My name is Brendan Williams and I work at a restaurant in South Portland. I’m hearing-impaired and have relied on lip reading to communicate.

I’ve always been able to accommodate myself by reading people’s lips and watching their visual cues; however, COVID-19 has taken that away. It has made me feel shut away from the rest of the world, and like most hearing-impaired people going through this struggle, I have developed a sense of anxiety.

It’s not just the mask that’s a problem, but certain masks can make sounds more difficult to hear. My restaurant requires all people to wear masks, which I agree with. However, something I’ve learned is that thin surgical masks are easier for me to hear someone through, compared to a tight mask, which makes it harder for me to hear someone. And the restaurant I currently work is now requiring people to wear tighter masks just because they’re black.

Are restaurants willing to put a hearing-impaired worker at risk because the company wants to have a color code with the mask? What about masks that allow lip reading? I’ve often spoken about restaurants having these, but would get pushback, like I shouldn’t criticize businesses for not having lip-reading masks when they’re struggling.

If a restaurant can afford brand-new black mask for everyone, they can afford lip-reading masks. I hope restaurants with hearing-impaired employers sit down and have a dialogue about how can they create a safe environment for everyone.

Brendan Williams
South Portland