Deaf grapevine definition
Deaf grapevine is a concept that means a network of personal communication by Deaf people that is loosely defined to mean a rumour, secret or private message (Stiles, 2016). Communication via peers and community members that incorporates the use of the Deaf grapevine may be particularly advantageous; among people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, this is a complex and highly efficient communication network (Gaskins, 1999). Anecdotal evidence suggests that information perceived as important is quickly relayed through this network to Deaf people all over the nation. Deaf people also use smaller, segments of the network to share information about others in the community, thus maintaining group cohesion.