chris is from a generationally deaf family (grandparents, parents, sister are all profoundly deaf) so he's always been in a position of having to advocate for himself and his family. it was a natural progression and in some ways it made other types of acceptance easier in terms of his family, at least. he appreciates people who actually make an effort to move beyond 'that's how i was raised' as an excuse to hold narrow world-views. they'd probably get on pretty well on that front.