Bronx Student Advocates for Accessible Movie Watching

In pursuit of improving movie accessibility for all, a high school student from the Bronx is striving to enact legislation that mandates open captions during specific film showings throughout New York State.

Sarah Lin, who is completing her senior year at Bronx High School of Science, dedicates her efforts beyond academia to ensure that movie theaters embrace inclusivity, particularly for those in the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities.

"Having seen the barriers faced by my mother, who experiences significant hearing challenges, I recognize how essential this cause is," Lin shared. "The proposal for the Open Captioning Accessibility Act aims to oblige cinemas across the state to offer screenings with open captions, making dialogues accessible to everyone."

Sarah Lin is collaborating with the New York Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America to spearhead the act’s passage before the current legislative session concludes.

Open Captions: A More Dependable Solution

Traditionally, cinemas attempted to accommodate moviegoers with hearing loss by supplying assistive devices, though numerous complaints detail their unreliability.

Katherine Bouton, standing as president of the Hearing Loss Association of America NYC Chapter, advocates that open captions provide a more trustworthy and consistent alternative.

"With most films being inundated with background and ambient sounds, distinguishing dialogues becomes a challenge," Bouton notes. "Open captions allow audience members to follow the script easily, without these auditory interferences obstructing clarity."

Lin envisions that New York's lead could trigger national acceptance of the act, encouraging broader adoption across the United States.

"New York holds considerable sway across the nation," Lin emphasized. "If we accomplish this here, other states are likely to adopt similar measures. I urge everyone to engage with their local assembly representatives and senators—write, call, and email them, urging them to support the Open Captioning Disability Act."

Interested individuals can learn more about the proposal and lend their support through signing a petition.