Disability Studies paper on Hawkeye

[saelind]

Hello!

So, a couple of months ago my old thesis advisor suggested I submit something to this Call For Papers: “Fantastic! Heroic! Disabled?”, as I'd written a couple of things at the end of college about disability studies and superheroes/sci-fi/fandom. I’m building a proposal around Clint Barton/Hawkeye—his canonical deafness in the comics in the 1980s, the restoration of his hearing in the comics after a few years, and some fans’ re-insertion of Hawkeye’s deafness in fanfictions following the release of The Avengers. Basically I’m aiming use Hawkeye as an example to highlight transformative works/fandom as a place where people can create space for disability (while such a space is rarely, if ever, allowed for in popular culture).

I read a fair number of fics over the summer dealing Hawkeye's hearing loss, however, I’m dreadful at bookmarking/keeping track of fics I read. Thus, most of the deaf-Barton fic that I read over the summer has long since slipped through my virtual fingers. I know there's both a bunch of really great Barton fic and a bunch of really dreadful/problematic Barton fic—and I need both! If you have recs/links, or know someone who has recs/links, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send them my way! Thanks so much!

Comments

[ashen_key]

How much of a feature do you want his hearing impairment to be? As I write him with hearing aids, but it's background mostly - a reference here or there as part of him without it being a plot point (although it'll feature more heavily if I ever get my Budapest fic finished, because feedback can be a paaaain.)

[saelind]

That would actually be perfect--most of the fic I read had it being a major plot point, but I would LOVE to see more fic where it is just a part of him, rather than a driving force to the story. Thanks!!!

[jackandahat]

This may be dead obvious, but AO3 does have a Deaf!Clint tag. (There's a couple more stories that show up if you just type "Deaf Clint" into the search.)

[ashen_key]

Ah-hah! Okay, I can do that :D Keep in mind I ship Natasha/Clint like burning, so these are mostly shippy fics. And also, part of what Natasha does as a running theme is take note of what kind of hearing aid is he wearing at home as part of assessing how relaxed/off-duty he is in his mind.

An Apology (of a kind): post-canon fallout, companion to tlvop's After Effects which also references Clint's hearing aids.

knowing that your door is always open : friendship!fic

keeping your head above water: three variations of rule 63 - the reference is in the second section.

with your finger on the world: AU where Natasha gets heartwashed by Loki at the start of Avengers, reference is near the start of the fic.

Similar to a Piece of String: kid-fic, reference in the last section.

...and I thought I had more fic making reference than that *rubs head* But it's background to all of the fic I write with Clint, the characters themselves don't always take note, I guess. And given I tend to write in a very close 3rd person. Hmm. But! tlvop's fic I linked above has a reference, as does her this privacy between us.

I hope that was helpful at all? They really are just casual references as the characters don't see it as any big deal. And just a note - in those he's not completely deaf, but unable to hear things below a shout, hence the only-slightly-better-boosted combat hearing aids SHIELD has for him.

[alexseanchai]

no title, anon author, mind the graphic violence warning.

[jamie]

Sorry for the ugly link. Here are the stories on AO3 that I've tagged with deaf-Barton

Edited to add: I make no statement on the quality/problematic status of the stories. They are all just bookmarked.

[saelind]

Oh my goodness, this is super helpful, thank you SO much!! And I have absolutely no problem with them being Clint/Natasha shippy, haha--I also ship them like there's no tomorrow. I am looking forward to reading all of these! :D

[saelind]

Haha, thank you! I always sort of forget about searching through tags...

[saelind]

Thanks so much!!

[saelind]

Thank you so much!! I'm looking forward to reading these :D

[inoru_no_hoshi]

I... don't have as many of these bookmarked as I thought, despite the fact that I am delighted by deaf character fics, if only so I can see how accurate they get the details. (I can be horribly nitpicky, because of personal experience and all. xD) But, here you go:

The Mind is for Seeing, the Heart is for Hearing - a series currently consisting of two fics; various scenarios of deafness and Clint dealing with it.

One hears clearly only with the heart - in which Clint deliberately deafens himself in self-defense against a mutant. (I love this one.)

Revelations - in which Clint is deaf, and when the Avengers find out, they are helpful and supportive. :D (I love this one like burning, despite some spelling/grammar whoopsies, because A) the author gave Clint pretty much the same type of deafness as I have (which I'd never before seen in fic, because it's a very special snowflake way to be deaf!), and B) he actually behaves like someone who's been deaf most of their life, which, ♥♥♥!)

And that's all my deaf!Clint bookmarks. I wish I had more for you! :)

[saelind]

Heh, definitely feel you with the being nitpicky due to personal experience!

OMG REVELATIONS I did read that one, and loved it to bits.

Thanks so much for all of these! Looking forward to reading the others :D

[ashen_key]

:-)! Hope you enjoy!

[jackandahat]

I didn't know if it might be to obvious, but not everyone even uses AO3. Good luck, it sounds like an interesting/useful project.

[alianora]

Why did I not know that Hawkeye was ever deaf? I WILL BE READING ALL OF THE THINGS. *gleeful*

[saelind]

Heee! I never would have known had a friend not rec'd me a fic with the subject heading "SUZ LOOKIT" :D Definitely looking forward to reading all the things!! *g*