Mean Little Deaf Queer

Mean Little Deaf Queer is Terry Galloway's memoir about growing up deaf in Texas during the 1950s and beyond. Her hearing loss began in early childhood due to medication her mother took while pregnant. Galloway recounts her experiences in theater, relationships, and academia as she navigates life with a disability that isn't immediately visible to others. The narrative follows her path from childhood through adulthood, including her time performing in theater troupes and teaching at universities. Through raw honesty and dark humor, Galloway describes her struggles with identity, sexuality, and acceptance in a world designed for the hearing. She details both isolation and connection, sharing stories of family dynamics, artistic pursuits, and personal revelations. This memoir explores themes of belonging, adaptation, and self-discovery while challenging conventional narratives about disability and queerness. The work stands as a testament to forging one's own path despite societal barriers and expectations.

Readers appreciate Galloway's raw honesty and dark humor in describing her experiences with disability, sexuality, and theater. Many note her ability to balance serious topics with comedic moments. Multiple reviews mention the strength of her theatrical storytelling style and vivid character descriptions. Common criticisms include a sometimes disjointed narrative structure and abrupt transitions between time periods. Some readers found certain chapters meandering or unfocused. What Readers Liked: - Unique perspective on deaf culture and LGBTQ+ identity - Sharp wit and self-deprecating humor - Detailed portraits of family relationships What Readers Disliked: - Non-linear timeline can be confusing - Some sections feel disconnected - Occasional overuse of theatrical metaphors Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (473 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (31 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (21 ratings) "A fearless memoir that never wallows in self-pity" - Goodreads reviewer "Honest but scattered in places" - Amazon reviewer

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🎭 Terry Galloway performed her one-woman show, "Out All Night and Lost My Shoes," for over 20 years across multiple continents, incorporating her experiences with deafness and queerness into darkly comedic theater. 🏥 Galloway's deafness was caused by medication her mother received while pregnant to prevent miscarriage—a drug that was later discovered to cause birth defects. 📚 The memoir's title comes from Galloway's experience at a summer camp for disabled children, where she first embraced her identity as "mean, little, deaf, and queer." 🎬 Before writing this memoir, Galloway co-founded the Actual Lives theater program, which helps people with disabilities create and perform autobiographical works. 💊 In 2010, after the book's publication, Galloway received cochlear implants and documented her experience of hearing for the first time in decades in a short film called "You Are My Sunshine."