Signature recently spoke with Tasha Ghouri to understand more about her life growing up deaf in school and her recent successes.
Please find the captioned interview below as well as a full transcript.
Tasha Ghouri Podcast:
Alex: And just to start, Tasha, for
those who do not know who you are would you like to introduce yourself?
Tasha: Yes, my name is Tasha Ghouri. I’m originally from North Yorkshire. A Small town called Thirsk,
and now I live in London. I’m an influencer, activist and I do a lot of work in the TV world as well.
Alex: Amazing, yeah not too far from us, we are based in Durham, so.
Tasha: Ah no way, yeah, I know where that is.
Alex: We found it inspiring seeing the first ever deaf participant on Love Island and breaking down the barriers for deaf people to be on television. Was this one of your intentions when applying for the show?
Tasha: Yes, definitely, I think for me, when I was growing up, I didn’t see any representation on TV, so it was kind of a moment for me to change that and try and break down the boundaries and barriers about having people with disabilities on TV. So, it’s kind of a moment where I said, you know what, I’m going to go for it and represent the deaf community and represent myself as well. So, it’s definitely one of the main reasons why I went on the show was to really share that message.
Alex: Yeah, definitely.
Alex: That’s really interesting because when I started working here one of the things.
I was really trying to get involved with was different influencers and people appearing on television,
because obviously us as a deaf charity, we’re trying to highlight the important things that people are trying to do on the TV.
Tasha: Yeah.
Alex: Watching you, because obviously I watched you before I started to work here, but you’re one of the first people that came to mind when I was thinking of people that made a difference on the TV. And I thought it was really important.
Tasha: Yeah, definitely it is important to have that.
Alex: And were you apprehensive when you went on Love Island to tell the other islanders that you were deaf?
Tasha: I wouldn’t say I was apprehensive, I think because I’m quite open and confident about it even before love island I was kind of using my platforms as much as I could, even though I had a small minor following. So, I was nervous in terms of as on TV, national TV, in front of millions of people watching it,
but actually, saying it to the group I just thought, you know what, I know that they are going to accept me for me and they’re not going to deny me or anything like that. They were all so welcoming and I just put it out there rather than having individual conversations one by one, it’s just quicker just to get it out there, get it done with, and the support I had was really lovely actually afterwards.
Tasha: So yeah, it’s a bit nerve wracking at first, but I’m really glad that I did that because it also shares a message to the younger generation that it’s actually okay to talk about it and people will be there for you and won’t deny you or out you from the group.
Alex: Yeah, you thought it was better to do it as a group rather than go around individually?
Tasha: Yeah, definitely I did have my individual conversations afterwards, they asked me more questions, but I think, yeah, it’s just easier to get them round together and just put it out there pretty much.
Alex: Yeah, it’s really interesting. And you recently launched talks with Tasha, and this was launched even before you went on Love Island. Is this something you’ve always been passionate about?
Tasha: Yeah, so talks with Tasha is something that I started before the show, and that was kind of a page where people can come to me for advice or where they needed to read something that would help them with their day.
Because I was modelling for Asos, I kind of went viral for modelling earrings for Asos, and so that’s kind of where I got the idea from. I thought, you know, maybe I should start a page because I was getting so many messages asking for advice and how do you do this and how do you do that? So, I thought it’d be a good idea. Obviously, I have started my own podcast now, and that’s kind of a bigger element on the page.
And it’s not just about the deaf communities, it’s also about many other disabilities, and it’s really nice to hear their stories. I had Lucy Edwards, who is blind and it’s so nice to hear people’s different experiences with different kind of disabilities, and that’s what the podcast is there for, so people don’t feel alone, and they can listen to that and feel not excluded but feel included.
Alex: Yeah, definitely. Because obviously with the way you’re doing it with your podcast, she looks at on lots of different disabilities and different ways people have been affected so it highlights a lot for everyone that’s affected really.
Tasha: Yeah, yeah.
Alex: What age did you become deaf, and when did you fully process that?
Tasha: So, my parents actually found out when I was 12 months old. So, I was very young, and I don’t remember any of it. I first got my cochlear implant when I was 5 years old, but I did get a re-implant when I was 16 because a cochlear implant only can last for a certain amount of time. And for that time for me it broke me inside internally. So, I had to have an operation for a whole new implant. I do remember what it was like from that moment, everything sounded robotic. It was a weird experience,
but I also do enjoy being deaf. I love it, I can have that peace and quiet as well if I need, I get a great sleep. But it was definitely challenging as well. Having to deal with a cochlear implant. You get concentration fatigue, and it can be quite overwhelming and a lot of over stimulation, everything,
a lot of sensory as well, it can be, especially when I was on Love Island, there was a lot to be in there, especially with the hot weather, it can be hard. But I’m so thankful, it has opened many doors, many opportunities.
I also had speech therapy as well after when I was five. Even now to this day I still sometimes struggle. But yeah, I mean I love it, it is part of me. So yeah, definitely.
Alex: I saw a clip of you last month on a different podcast talking about how it was quite tiring with the cochlear implant on Love Island.
Tasha: Yeah, yeah, it can be because you’re working 24/7, it looks like we’re literally sunbathing all day but it’s really the complete opposite. I was very shocked when I was in there that you’re always up having conversations that you only see maybe one conversation out of me aired. But realistically, I would have been having 15 conversations throughout the day. You know, different people and they pick what they want, what conversation is the most important and it can be so tiring, you’re waking up,
I don’t know, like 11:00 o’clock lunch time, we’re having lunch straight away and then you’re in the sun all day. You’re doing challenges as well. So, it was definitely tough, I always have to have a nap, that’s so important to me, that’s how I get my recharge, that’s how I get my re-boost. Otherwise, I’ll get a really bad migraine and I won’t be able to go on any longer. So yeah, it’s definitely tough, I used to say to producers that, Look, I need to have a nap and then they would just leave me to it, which is really nice, so it’s good that they understood that.
Alex: Yes, because I’m always saying to different people that we only see an hour of the day. I watch love island every year and we only see an hour of the day every night. But in actual fact, it’s 24 hours constantly they are there.
Tasha: Yeah, you’ve got remember, if you only see an hour of someone, that’s not all they’re doing you forget about that. You think that it’s lying around sunbathing but that’s not always the case.
Alex: Yeah 100%. As you just said before, you have been using a cochlear implant since the age of five.
Tasha: Yeah.
Alex: Is this something that took you a long time to get used to?
Tasha: I think because I got it from such a young age, I kind of eased into it quite easily. I was the age of 5 so like nursery or primary school. Just the start of primary school, I think it’s kind of easy for me to ease into it, but I think my parents, from what my parents told me, it was hard sometimes, especially my speech and I get frustrated at times because I was the only deaf student in my school and in high school as well. So, I think I compared myself very negatively to other people. But I think it is quite easy.
to deal with because I was deaf before that.
I think if I went from hearing to deaf then getting a cochlear implant, it’d be a whole different experience. But because I’m born deaf, then getting a cochlear implant is kind of a big transition, but it’s something that could ease into definitely.
Alex: Yeah, how was going through school as a deaf pupil, obviously you are surrounded by hearing students, do you think you were treated differently or?
Tasha: Luckily actually I wasn’t, I had a really good bunch of friends around me, good support, I did get cyberbullied but that’s just something I look back on, it was like keyboard warriors.
Alex: Yeah.
Tasha: I think at the time it was actually quite good for me, it forced me to communicate with people that were hearing, and it forced me to really use my speech and talk to them, basically. Now I was actually very shy, I was an introvert. I would not talk about my cochlear implant. I would wear my hair down. I think for me as well, teachers didn’t really fully understand and weren’t deaf aware. So, in class, they would turn around and I need to lip read. I am a massive lip reader and so I’d miss out so much information. I did okay in my GCSE’S, but I could have done a lot better if that support was there for me and I think that’s something that needs to change, especially in this industry now. Accessibility is something that needs to improve on in school. There’s so much I missed out on unfortunately due to teachers not being deaf aware pretty much. But I luckily, I did have that support from friends and my family as well, and they were there for me to help me as much as they could.
Alex: Yeah, that’s amazing.
Alex: And one thing we’ve noticed is obviously we sell our deaf awareness course, we’ve recently noticed a lot more people trying to take it, people with hearing students because we’re always saying,
you never know one deaf person coming to your shop or coming to the school and you’ve got to know how to react and make it just as inclusive as everyone else. And yeah, we’ve noticed an uptake recently of a lot more people doing it.
Tasha: Yeah, yeah, it’s good.
Alex: And I hope the GCSE in BSL will come in the next year, hopefully.
Tasha: Yes, definitely.
Alex: So, it should be very important. And can you tell us a little bit more about your life before going on love island?
Tasha: So, in my life, before love island, I was a dancer, so I actually trained professionally as a dancer ever since I was literally five, six years old. I put steps up on the TV, I copied their dance moves,
put on little dresses. That’s kind of where I started, so my parents said let’s go to a dance class and actually music really helped me with my deafness because I can hear music very differently, I can feel it.
And that’s why I fell in love with dancing so much. It’s a safe space to be free and enjoy myself.
So, I trained as a dancer. I still dance now, but not as much as I’m quite busy, but I love it.
And I did modelling before as well. I modelled for ASOS and quite a few brands, so I was self-employed before and that’s kind of what I was doing, but basically, I was a dancer.
Alex: Yeah, that’s interesting, how you say about the music because last year we spoke to Evelyn Glennie, the deaf musician, and she was saying how she loves the vibrations, and she loves the feeling of the vibrations.
Tasha: Yeah, I love putting my headphones on and blasting it, it will be like max volume and people looking around like why is she blasting music so much but it’s because I feel the beats more than the lyrics, that like that’s how I feel the music.
Alex: Yeah, we found it amazing how from what we see, everyone was really accepting of you on Love Island and your deafness. Was this something you felt was important on your journey on love island?
Tasha: Definitely. I think I definitely had tough moments in there, don’t get me wrong. I think for me, when I wanted to please the public in terms of I didn’t want to let my deaf community down, I felt like I wasn’t achieving that. When you’re at the bottom 3, 4 times in a row, it is gut wrenching, it is heart-breaking because you standing there thinking like, what is it that I’m doing wrong?
And obviously I came out and my parents did say, I did suffer with ableism, quite a lot of it whilst I was on the show. And I think being in the show, I start to think I kind of knew that I was going to walk out to that in a way I just knew it like a weird feeling. But I think for them to accept me in the villa was important because I wouldn’t want to be feeling left out or excluded. Like I’d say, especially Dami,
Dami’s got an Irish accent. And the first few days he’d talk to me, and I’d be looking at Dami like, and he would say “you don’t know what I’m saying do you”? I’m like, no. And eventually, like, then you learn how to, like, communicate with me and like, sometimes I have to slow down. And then people understood more that I lip read quite a lot as well.
But yeah, it is nice that they all accepted me for it but it’s just the outside, that was the toughest bit, I think.
Alex: Yeah, do you think it was more difficult when you came out of Love Island rather than being in
the Love Island villa itself?
Tasha: I think it was definitely harder to be in the villa in terms of that mental health aspect. Like, I’m
very close to my family and friends and the fact I couldn’t even ring them or talk to them, that was the toughest part because I just wanted to but the only people you could talk to is people in the villa and I’ve just met them.
And I think coming out was hard in terms of like what was said in terms of ableism but I kind of had to put my strong guard up and be like, okay, that’s what they said, and I’m going to use my platform and change it into a positive. That’s how I started doing it.
Since I came out, I just didn’t let it get to me. I kind of started educating people that started taking the mick out of my voice. Then I go to TikTok and say ok this is the reason why my voice may sound like this, blah, blah, blah, blah. And that’s when their opinions will change and be like, sorry, I didn’t realize, it’s just about education. Unfortunately, not many people are open minded to be educated, but I think that’s the way I came off the show. Stay positive, have a positive mindset, and just drove to change people’s opinions for the better.
Alex: Yeah, brilliant. And you often refer to deafness as your superpower. Is this something you completely embrace now?
Tasha: One hundred percent, I love my deafness. I love my cochlear implant. It’s something that will stay with me forever. And the fact that I can use this to change other people’s lives and change their perspectives, especially the younger generation that aren’t confident with that disability, it makes me happy that I’m able to make them feel a little bit more confident and that’s all I want to do
is kind of help other people and inspire other people to do what you want to do and help them embrace their disability.
So, for me, it’s my superpower and my dad is actually the one who said it to me, “that is your superpower”. That’s where I kind of got it from and it stuck with me since.
Alex: Yeah, it definitely is. It’s brilliant, we always ask this question to people we interview and people always a bit like, that’s a loaded question, but I think it’s good to hear what people say.
And if you could give your 18 year old self some advice now, what would you say to them?
Tasha: To my younger self?
Alex: Yeah.
Tasha: I think I would say to my younger self- don’t care what people think, just hang in there. Focus on yourself, focus on your own path, and don’t let people try and bring you down and tear you down. I think that’s definitely what I’d say to my younger self. I think I wasted so much time trying to please so many people and care so much about people’s opinions that affect me in such a deep and hurtful way.
So, I would say to my younger self, like, you’re going to be just fine. You’re going to be all good. Just keep doing you.
Alex: Yeah, what advice would you give to someone growing up that is deaf and wants to follow in your footsteps in terms of going on the TV, and being a positive influence online?
Tasha: I would say, stay true to yourself and you know, people will question your disability and you have just got to stay strong and remember who you are. It doesn’t define you. It’s about who you are as a person and don’t let it overtake you as a part of it is something special and unique. But it doesn’t define you or who you are as a person. And I would say embrace it. And if you go on TV, embrace it, you know, share your message because your experience is what helps the people out there. And it may get hard sometimes, but once you get through the hard times, it’s worth it in the end, you know?
Alex: Yeah, definitely. Because we’ve seen, for example you going on Love Island and then with Rose going on strictly, it has such a positive influence on social media and people looking at it.
Tasha: 100%. And now we’ve got Tasha on the British bake off. I feel like the deaf community is definitely breaking through.
Alex: Finally, have you got any exciting upcoming plans for the future that you’d like to share with us?
Tasha: So, from my podcast “Superpowers with Tasha”, there will be a season two, we’re currently in talks with some guests. So that’s exciting! And I’ve got quite a few things coming up, so I don’t want to spoil it, but I think for me, next year I’m kind of going to separate myself from the like the Love Island
kind of realm. I kind of want to start doing my own thing.
Maybe like, documentary making or something, that’s something I’m working on currently, so it’s quite exciting. So that’s kind of my mind set for next year and is something that I maybe want to do.
Alex: Yeah, brilliant.
Alex: That’s all, thank you very much for coming on.
Tasha: Thank you, thank you for having me.
Alex: It’s been good to speak to you.
Tasha: Thank you so much.