This hunk ticks all the boxes in becoming a household name within the TV and Fashion Industry. With a guest star role on the TV series ‘Switched At Birth’ and being selected to be apart of this years 22nd cycle of America’s Next Top Model, this 25-year-old seems to be on his way to becoming an internationally known entertainer. But what makes his journey unique is that like many out there, and past generations of his family also, he is deaf.
Nyle has ever let his hearing ability affect his goals. He graduated at the Gallaudet University, an arts college in Washington that caters to deaf students and had (apart from one year) attended specialty schools for deaf students his entire life. For Nyle, sign language, he describes is his ‘native language’ and he believes that it has actually given him an advantage within his role on this years season of American’s Next Top Model, as it makes him stand out to become one of the more interesting characters on the show (especially since he is the first ever deaf model to participate on the series).
Even though Nyle describes his situation as making him more interesting on the show, he explained that he doesn’t want that to make him become categorised as the ‘token deaf guy’ or to be treated differently, or with more lenience than other contestants, “I am here to raise awareness and change that perspective and prove that deaf people can model and collaborate to create something beautiful” and that he aims to, “help deaf people achieve their goals”.
Modeling was never a close interest to Nyle growing up, although many people would suggest that it would be a good fit for him, with his clearly fit physique and fascinating, bright blue eyes catching the attention of many. Nyle’s twin brother commented on his brother’s journey to the modeling industry, “People kept bugging him about modeling and about doing it but he didn’t really care too much about it, and always shrugged it off. But after trying it for a bit, he realised that he was really good at it”.
Nyle is a strong contender for the up and coming series, although we think that the result is not going to have a huge effect on the message that his character is going to send within the deaf community. The point being made through his journey is that no obstacle should restrict us to follow our dreams and goals, especially being deaf, and to break the stigma that deaf people are unable to model or collaborate (essential skills to have within the Fashion Industry) within projects in the workforce.
We are rooting for Nyle this season and have a feeling that he will go far during and post Top Model (have you seen his eyes!).
This is a silent film created by the American Sign Language (ASL) called “In The Can”, which is entirely performed with sign language and stars Nyle.
