Strictly Come Dancing star Tasha Ghouri has said she sometimes feels like she is in an 'invisible box' as she called for changes in how the deaf community is treated. The 27-year-old, who rose to fame on Love Island in 2022, was born deaf in one ear and uses a cochlear implant.
Ghouri is backing the RNID's It Does Matter campaign, which aims to improve communication with deaf people. New research from the charity shows almost a quarter of people would avoid someone who is deaf if they thought communicating would be too difficult.
Ghouri said: 'Being deaf in a world made for hearing people can feel like being in an invisible box. With a few simple changes, we can include everyone. Nobody should struggle doing everyday things like shopping, visiting the doctors or socialising.'
The research, released to mark Deaf Awareness Week (May 4-10), found that 32% of people worry about saying or doing the wrong thing when communicating with someone who is deaf. However, 78% said they would be willing to learn simple ways to communicate better.
Crystal Rolfe, director of health at RNID, said: 'This research is a stark reminder that we still live in a society that shuts out deaf people. Often this is unintentional, but for deaf people it means everyday activities can be full of invisible barriers.'
