The Highlight Issue 13 'Spring into Summer'

The star, who was born completely deaf in both ears, became fluent in BSL (British Sign Language) before having a cochlear implant fitted at the age of five. “Without the implant, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to [do] what I’m doing now,” she beams. But it wasn’t always smooth sailing. “[During] my teenage years, it was tough,” she recalls. “I was very shy. I’d never wear my hair up and would always compare myself in such a negative way. Growing up I never saw any kind of representation.” “In the UK there are 12 million adults with hearing loss,” explains Teri Devine, director of inclusion at Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID). “Deaf representation can make a massive difference to the public’s understanding of hearing loss, as well as providing role models for other deaf people.” EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW S he was the sweetheart of the 2022 Love Island villa, who danced onto our screens with a clear mission – to ensure the deaf community is heard. One year on, Tasha Ghouri is using her platform of over 1.5 million followers to amplify disabled voices.