Emmanuelle Laborit begins her autobiography The Cry of the Gull with a simple explanation of how sign language changed her life: "With the help of sign language, I understood that yesterday was behind me, and tomorrow was in front of me." She learned this at the age of seven, and soon after, she realized that being deaf could be a positive part of her identity.
After a lengthy period of trouble in class and at home, she determined to finish school and fight for the rights of other deaf French people. She also took up acting, leading to her ultimate triumph as Sarah in the French production of Children of a Lesser God. She was the first deaf French actor to win the Moliere Award in the category of best new talent. Her book The Cry of the Gull is both a revealing and encouraging story for young people everywhere.