Halle Berry: A Different Kind of Deafness

Halle Berry, an actress who has starred in several films since her debut in 1989. Other than being a very talented actress, she has managed to keep most of her personal life out of the Hollowed/paparazzi spotlight.

However, she is one of many who live life with a hearing loss. Many famous stars who have a hearing loss use their platform to raise awareness and break the stigma of people with hearing loss or deafness. However, Halle Berry uses her platform to bring awareness to a different issue. In the early 1990s, Berry lost the majority of her hearing in one ear due to domestic violence when her boyfriend hit her. She was hit so hard that it actually damaged her hearing to a point of deafness. Rather than exploiting him (which I am sure she already took of that), she speaks out for others and encourages other victims of domestic violence to come forward and escape.

She stated in an interview, “I devalued myself and thought I wasn’t worth it. I chose partners that mimicked my father. It was only when I was in an abusive relationship and blood squirted on the ceiling of my apartment and I lost 80% of my hearing in my ear that I realized, I have to break the cycle.”

"I want women to stand up and break the silence and get rid of the shame and the fear and find a way to stand up for themselves."

Rather than letting her hearing loss define her, she lets it empower her. Halle Berry has lived most of her career with hearing loss and instead of dwelling on it, she strives to keep going and has been very successfully, all the while raising awareness and encouragement for others.

#halleberry #domesticviolence #hearingloss #encouragement