Disability or Identity? – Hearing Loss and Self-Acceptance

Self-acceptance with hearing loss is rarely a straight line. In this episode, Georgia opens up about her own journey from hiding her hearing aids to wearing them with pride, and Yovina shares what she sees in clinic every day. Together they talk about:

•       Disability or identity? Why Georgia is proud to use the word "disability", how the Equality Act 2010 made hearing loss a protected characteristic, and why many of the barriers come from society rather than the person.

•       "My granddad has those." Why hearing loss is still seen as an older person's problem, how hearing care marketing feeds that, and why young people with hearing loss can feel so alone.

•       The cure question. If you could take a tablet to cure your hearing loss, would you? After a poll on Yovina's Instagram and a DM about an overseas clinic, Georgia explains why her answer is no.

•       The cycle of acceptance. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Yovina explains the stages, why she sees patients at every one of them, and why you can't rush anyone through.

•       The "messy middle". Georgia talks about internalised audism, the belief that hearing people are somehow superior, and feeling "not deaf enough" for the deaf community. And how she made her own path instead.

•       Why some people stop wearing hearing aids. Being pushed into it by family, the six to eight weeks it takes to adjust, and why booking a hearing test is often the hardest step. Plus Georgia's post-appointment chocolate bar ritual.

•       Finding the right clinic for you. Why it's worth doing your research, and why it's OK if the first place doesn't feel right.

•       Deaf gains. How the brain adapts to hearing loss, from sharper peripheral vision to reading body language and greater empathy. And why Tasha Ghouri calls her hearing loss her superpower.

•       The perks nobody tells you about. A third off rail travel, theatre and museum discounts, free companion tickets, Access to Work and the Nimbus Access Card.

•       The Truth Edit. Georgia is put to the test on deaf families, age and hearing loss, and why many people prefer "hard of hearing" to "hearing impaired".

Timestamps

00:00 Welcome back to The Hearing Edit

00:43 Disability or identity?

02:04 Why hearing loss still feels like an older person's thing

04:47 Owning the word "disability"

07:57 The Equality Act and the barriers society creates

10:08 The cure question

13:17 The cycle of acceptance

16:33 Internalised audism and the "messy middle"

19:52 How long does acceptance take?

24:43 A word from Nuance Audio

26:01 What helped Georgia turn a corner

27:00 Why some people stop wearing hearing aids

29:29 Taking the first step

31:09 Finding the right clinic for you

32:59 The spectrum problem

34:28 Deaf gains

38:00 Railcards, discounts and Access to Work

44:01 The Truth Edit

46:32 Our takeaways

Mentioned in this episode

•       The cycle of acceptance, based on Elisabeth Kübler-Ross's model

•       The Equality Act 2010

•       Tasha Ghouri

•       Disabled Persons Railcard

•       Access to Work

•       Nimbus Access Card

•       RNID for information on benefits and financial support

•       Dr Yovina's blog: Hearing aids built into glasses: Nuance Audio

Sponsored by Nuance Audio

Nuance Audio is the invisible hearing solution built into glasses. It's designed for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, and makes speech clearer while leaving your ears free and comfortable. Find out more at nuanceaudio.com.

Meet your hosts

•       Dr Yovina is an audiologist and the founder of Dr Yovina Audiology. Find Dr Yovina at @dryovina on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

•       Georgia Meacham is an actor, model and deaf advocate. Find her at @georgiameacham.

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