Lights, camera, caption! Why subtitles are no longer just for the hard of hearing
(The Guardian Culture News)

An enormous number of people with unimpaired hearing are choosing to watch with words. Why? And is it time captions became the norm?`Subtitles aren´t just for deaf people,` read the tweet that started it all. `Lots of my hearing friends use them, too. If you´re hearing and using subtitles on Netflix and TV, and would quite like them at the cinema, please retweet to help normalise their presence!`This recent post by @deafgirly (AKA Deafinitely Girly) swiftly garnered close to 75,000 likes and a deluge of replies. `I was confused at first when I saw it had gone viral,` says the 30-year-old blogger and campaigner from London, who prefers to go by her Twitter name. `I was out for lunch with my mum and my phone started going crazy. I was really pleased though, because there was overwhelming global support from people of all ages for subtitles. Even the people who said they didn´t really like them at the cinema said they´d tolerate them if it meant deaf people could attend more screenings.` One woman even told DG she used subtitles when she was too stoned to listen to her favourite shows. Continue reading...