Utah Deaf History and Culture
  • Home
  • Beginning of the Project
  • Why the Website?
  • Special Thanks
  • Editors & Testimonials
  • Utah Deaf Biographies
    • Biographies of Prominent Utah Deaf Men
    • Biographies of Prominent Utah Deaf Women
    • Biographies of Prominent Utah Interpreters
    • Biographies of Deaf Latter-day Saint Leaders
    • Biographies of Utah Deaf Artists
    • Utah Deaf Model
  • Utah School for the Deaf
    • Utah School for the Deaf Archives
    • USD Student Strikes
    • Utah School for the Deaf Reunions
    • Jean Massieu School of the Deaf
    • Kenneth Burdett School of the Deaf
    • Brandon R. Hill: USDB Eagle Logo
    • JMS' 20th Anniversary Celebration
    • Elizabeth DeLong School of the Deaf
    • Videos of the USD Experiences
  • Sociology of the USD in the Utah Deaf Community
  • Deaf Education in Utah
    • Utah Oral Leaders
    • USDB Advisory Council & Instititional Council
    • Dr. Jay J. Campbell: 1977 USD Comprehensive Study
    • Jeffrey W. Pollock: Utah Deaf Education Controversy
    • Videos of Dr. Grant B. Bitter
    • Dr. Robert G. Sanderson's Mainstreaming Persepctive
    • Dr. Robert G. Sanderson's Dream
    • ASL & LSL Controversy Correspondence
    • Minnie Mae Wilding-Diaz - Co-founder of Jean Massieu School
  • Utah Association of the Deaf
    • UAD's Brief History
    • UAD Bulletins/Awards/Logos
    • House Bill 60: Terms Associated With the Deaf Community
  • National Fraternal Society of the Deaf
  • Robert G. Sanderson Community Center
    • Directors of the Sanderson Community Center
    • Robert G. Sanderson's Honoring Ceremony - 2003
    • W. David Mortensen's Honoring Ceremony - 2014
    • Sanderson Center's 25th Anniversary Celebration
    • Sanderson Center's 30th Anniversary
  • Gallaudet University (Utah Connection)
    • Ronald C. Burdett's Gallaudet Honoring Ceremony, 2016
  • Utah Interpreting Service
    • Beth Ann Campbell, 1st RID Interpreter
    • UIP's 30th Anniversary
  • Deaf Latter-day Saints Community
    • Deaf LDS History Researchers
  • Utah Deaf Sports
  • Utah Deaf Organizations
  • Miss Deaf Utah Pageant
  • Sego Lily Center for the Abused Deaf
  • Utah Senior Deaf Citizens
  • Vocational Training Programs
  • Utah Deaf Technology
  • Utah Deaf Women's History
  • The Early Utah Women's History
  • Black Deaf Lives Matter (Utah Connection)
  • Sanderson Community Center Museum
  • Utah Deaf Films
  • Utah Deaf Ski Archives
  • George Sutherland Archives
  • Deaf World Library and Museum
  • Parker Holt, Gallaudet Award
  • Contact & Copyright Permission

Eleanor Kay Kinner Curtis,
​a Utah Deaf Model


Written & Compiled by Jodi Becker Kinner

Published in 2019
Updated in 2021

PictureEleanor Kay Kinner
Eleanor Kay Kinner, also known as "Kay," is thought to be the first Deaf model in Utah and the United States. She stood at 5'10" and was slim. She had a keen sense of fashion and design, as seen by the way she dressed in the sideshow. She also likes coming up with her own ideas. Kay's CODA daughter, Rebecca Curtis Larsen, believes that if she had been hearing, she would have had more modeling and fashion opportunities.

Kay enjoyed posing for photographs because of her beauty. Kay posed for Auerbach's department store during her senior year at the Utah School for the Deaf. This is one of Ogden, Utah's greatest design clothing stores. She had also posed for many photos in Collins/Morris Photography while showcasing various outfits.
 
Kay was featured on the front cover of the Utah Eagle magazine, a printing publication for the Utah School for the Deaf, in April 1953. 

According to Rebecca, discrimination from pushing the Deaf to choose "unlikely" employment was far more prevalent throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Being a woman in Utah at the time would have been an additional stumbling block. If Kay had been a graduating senior today, Rebecca believes she would have had more opportunities to pursue a modeling career. 

Take a peek at the images of Kay dressed in 1940s and 1950s clothes!


Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner on front cover of the Utah Eagle magazine in April 1953

Picture
Kenneth and Eleanor Kinner

Picture
Kay & her twin brother, Kenneth, 1954 Utah School for the Deaf graduates

Eleanor Kay Kinner poses for pictures at the
​Utah School for the Deaf in Ogden, Utah

Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner, 13
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner, 14
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner, 16
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner standing outside of the Utah School for the Deaf
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner posing outside of the Utah School for the Deaf
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner, age 16
Picture
___, Eleanor Kay Kinner, & Sally
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner on the second right
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner on the second left
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner (center)
Picture
___, Sally, & Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner (center)
Picture
Sally & Eleanor Kay Kinner

Eleanor Kay Kinner poses for clothing catalogs as a model

Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner
Picture
Eleanor Kay Kinner

Personal Communication  

Rebecca Curtis Larsen, personal communication, March 11, 2019.