This year’s theme is Beyond the Silence
It’s Deaf Awareness Week (5 - 11 May), and this year’s theme of “Beyond Silence” encourages a greater understanding of the diverse ways in which Deaf and hard-of-hearing people communicate, from British Sign Language (BSL) to lip-reading, written communication, and assistive technology. It also highlights the social, cultural, and professional barriers that many Deaf individuals face, advocating for improved accessibility, inclusivity, and equal opportunities.
The definition of ‘Deaf’ has many guises, from being hard-of-hearing to totally Deaf, this year’s campaign is to reflect and engage beyond the simple acknowledgment of ‘Deaf’, and to:
- Delve deeper into what it means to be Deaf
- learn how can we work together to make those around us understand
- and how can we make it so that those who are Deaf are made to feel included, have a voice and feel empowered in the workplace.
Ian’s experience
Hi, my name is Ian Anderson. I’m 33 and I’m hard-of-hearing.
So, what does this mean for me and how do I cope on a daily basis?
Well, my role involves listening to those around me, in particular listening to issues they may be having with their tech. I know what some of you may be thinking - well that’s contradictory! He needs to listen but is hard-of-hearing? This is the type of stereotyping I have experienced most my life.
Let me tell you a story; at a previous organisation, I was stereotyped constantly for being hard-of-hearing, experiencing everything from strange facial expressions when I asked for someone to repeat themselves, to even laughing, pointing and shouting as I struggled to hear what someone said. This discrimination put me at rock bottom and left me in a very dark place mentally.
However, I told myself - I am human, I am equal, and I don’t have to tolerate with this. I handed in my resignation and never looked back. I worry to think where I would be now had I stayed.
Now, I have learned to live with being hard-of-hearing. Some of the ways I have adapted are I have learned to read lips, I am also looking to learn BSL and I continue to ask people to repeat themselves if I need them to.
I would say that working at the IET has helped me overcome a lot of stereotyping, and usually Colleagues are very understanding and help me to help them, and for that I say - thank you.
How can you support?
Look – look around you, there are many people in the workplace who are hard-of-hearing. In fact, in the UK, an estimated one-fifth (20%) of the population has hearing loss.
Listen – there may be some colleagues who express that they can’t hear you very well and ask you to repeat themselves. Please be patient and understanding if this happens.
Include – after looking and listening, always make sure that everyone is included. All colleagues should be treated equally, fairly and not be judged.
Learn – Consider learning some British Sign Language (BSL). This visual form of communication utilises gestures and facial expressions as well as body language. If you would like to know more about BSL or learn some yourself, here are a few starting steps: Free British Sign Language Lessons with Enhance The UK - Disability Awareness Training
Deaf and hard-of-hearing trailblazers
There are currently 10 million people who have hearing loss in the UK, and more than 800,000 are severely or profoundly Deaf. Being Deaf or hard-of-hearing is not a hinderance - it should never stop you from achieving your goals. In fact, there are many individuals who have proven it doesn’t have to hold you back from achieving what you want to do.
Below are just a few examples of people who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing and have achieved their goals:
Johanna Lucht
Johanna was born Deaf and never thought she would work for NASA. Living in Germany, where resources for Deaf people were limited at the time, Johanna developed an understanding of mathematics before she even acquired language.
It was that passion for maths and the ability to face challenges that led to her eventual study of computer science and paved her road towards NASA. After an internship at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, she was offered a position.
In 2017, Johanna became the first Deaf engineer to carry out an active role in a NASA control center during a crewed research flight. As the systems II engineer for the flight, she was responsible for observing and evaluating data related to the aircraft’s GPS and navigation systems, as well as analysing inflight data to monitor how well the aircraft was performing in flight. She worked with an interpreter who conveyed communications to her—and she excelled in the role. She believes the challenges she faced growing up as a Deaf person in the hearing world in part prepared her for her role.
Jodie Ounsley
Jodie is an English former rugby union player who played for Premier 15s side Exeter Chiefs Women as a winger. In 2019 she became the first Deaf female rugby player to play for a senior England side and the world's first-ever Deaf female rugby sevens international.
She is also a former British Brazilian jiu jitsu champion. She appeared as "Fury" in the 2024 BBC One reboot of Gladiators and has worked as an interviewer for Channel 4's coverage of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Did you know Beethoven suffered from progressive hearing loss, becoming almost completely Deaf by the end of his life?
He began experiencing hearing difficulties in his late 20s and was completely Deaf by his mid-40s. The cause of his hearing loss remains a mystery, with theories including viral infection, lead poisoning, and otosclerosis. Despite his deafness, Beethoven continued to compose and create some of his most famous works.
Resources
Below are some helpful resources if you’d like to learn more.
Deaf Awareness Week 2025 - Deafness Resource Centre
Free British Sign Language Lessons with Enhance The UK - Disability Awareness Training
You can also get involved in our Disability Member Network – email inclusion@theiet.org to find out more.