Barry A. Freeman

This article is a part of the May/June 2026, Volume 38, Number 3, Audiology Today issue. Audiologists have long recognized that certain viral diseases are known to cause hearing loss, including measles, rubella, chickenpox, and mumps.

This article is a part of the March/April 2025, Volume 37, Number 2, Audiology Today issue. Barry A. Freeman (BAF): In the early years of audiology, practitioners depended on physician referrals and often relied on physicians to interpret audiological test results and recommend treatment because audiologists were unable to fit and dispense hearing aids. As audiology evolved into an autonomous profession, we gained recognition for our specialized knowledge and skills.

Last year, the federal court of appeals covering Ohio (6th Circuit) determined transgender employees are per se protected from discrimination. (For those who want to read the decision, it’s EEOC v. RG & GR Harris Funeral Homes, Inc., No. 16-2424 (6th Cir. March 7, 2018)). The federal court of appeals covering New York, Connecticut and Vermont determined the same law (Title VII) prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Many of the LGBT protections are not new.