“We have our own culture, our own community. A lot of people don’t realize that. They just assume that deaf people are very unfortunate, very disabled, but no.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“Own your identity. Love who you are in the world. Love your deafness.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I think the biggest misconception is that people think deaf people are not able to do things.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“My sexiest feature is my body.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“My passion, personally, is being my true self while inspiring young people who are struggling with their identities to love themselves for who they are.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I’m really excited to educate the world about what deaf people can do.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I’m fortunate to have blue eyes!”
― Nyle DiMarco
“My message to my deaf community is that we can redefine anything however we want. Anything is re-definable only if we believe and work hard for it.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I am a visual person, given that I am deaf.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I grew up with deaf teachers, and I thought all deaf children should have exposure to deaf educators.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“In middle school, I had the best math teacher I’ve ever had, and he was deaf… and I felt inspired by him. I knew from then on that I wanted to be a math teacher.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I was born deaf. Sound never existed in my life, and this is completely normal to me.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“Right before ‘ANTM,’ I was offered a recurring role for the TV show ‘Switched at Birth.’ I had to pick one because both of the shows were happening at the same time. I couldn’t choose, though, so decided to let my dog Foxy decide. She picked ‘ANTM!’”
― Nyle DiMarco
“There is research proving that deaf people have increased visual abilities.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I feel like I can see the music and can see how the character of the music actually flows. For me, that’s music to my eyes.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“There are so many deaf kids out there being deprived of their own language.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I got my mathematics degree because I wanted to teach deaf children math.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I feel the need to reframe our community positively and better deaf youth’s lives, and with the ‘DWTS’ platform, I can – but it’s not enough until I win.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“When I signed up for ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ I was nervous. If I threw everything off, there are 10-15 million people watching, and that would be a negative viewpoint of deaf people, and I didn’t want that.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I would love to work with Mario Testino. I respect all the work he has done and is doing.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I am truly humbled. Not only that I am going to be known as the final Top Model but as a final Top Model who is deaf! And that is an amazing tagline. This proves that deaf people can do anything and everything.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I am one hundred percent ready to be a spokesperson for the deaf community.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I have always aspired to be the type of role model who can bridge the deaf and hearing communities.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I never danced growing up.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I’ve never wanted to hear.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“Growing up, I was always involved in the deaf community.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“If I’d been born into a hearing family and went to a public school, I would have probably felt much more isolated, and being deaf would have become my identity.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“Since I knew my deaf identity since birth, it wasn’t hard for me to be comfortable, confident, and independent in a hearing world.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I love working with photographers.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I love it when I surprise photographers that, despite the fact that I am deaf, I am capable of meeting their vision. I love it that I can read their body language and know what they do not like and what they do like.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I think being deaf gave me an increased sense of sight.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I started to realize that there are a lot of people who are unaware of deaf culture, and I’ve been given a great platform to reframe the deaf community.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I want to use my celebrity for good.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“Right after college, I was trying to figure out what to do. Teach? Act? Model? Do PR for the deaf community? And now I’m doing all I dreamed of and more.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I was doing a little modeling on the side. Then ‘ANTM’ found me on social media, and it pretty much flipped my life around, all for the better.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“It’s one of the reasons I want to do ‘Dancing with the Stars’: it’s a platform to educate.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“Often in the past, when we have had a deaf person in the spotlight, we have been portrayed badly. It was up to me to change that.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I’m fortunate to be a part of the ‘ANTM’ family.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“American Sign Language requires a lot of facial and body expression.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I’m ready to take the world by storm and have them look at me and say, ‘Deaf people can dance.’”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I think we really do need deaf people out there writing their own shows.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“A relationship isn’t a priority of mine but, you know, I’m hoping soon enough.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“Seriously, I don’t find not being able to hear an obstacle or a boundary. For me, and for many of us, it is an advantage, and it’s a part of my identity, in fact. It’s a huge part of who I am.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“As a sexually fluid deaf man, I know that embracing all our identities is the way to thrive and to overcome the limitations and prejudices that surround us.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“Am I complaining about my deafness? No, I am not.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I work out a lot.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“We have over 25 deaf individuals in my family.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“My mom did a great job because ever since I was born, she would put me into any type of sporting activity with hearing teams.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I had to live with the models in one big house for two months, 24 hours a day. Only a few of them actually learned how to sign… I couldn’t really communicate with anybody, and I felt isolated.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I love to cook breakfast. I am a morning person.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I do not like fancy or chain restaurants. I live for local spots.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I am the fourth generation of being deaf.”
― Nyle DiMarco
“I have my own foundation, Nyle DiMarco Foundation, and it focuses on bettering deaf youths’ lives.”
― Nyle DiMarco
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