This week, we share more about Sarah and Kirsty, who are using their podcast, Socially Sound, to educate and inspire. From personal journeys navigating identity and the Deaf community, they share their lived experiences with raw honesty and hope for those navigating themselves. In this blog, Sarah and Kirsty delve into their perspectives on advocacy, spotlighting the transformative power of Deaf voices in shaping a more inclusive future.
- Hi both, first, can you introduce yourself to Signature engagers?
Kirsty: “I’m Kirsty, 25 and living in the North West. I work in Policy and Campaigns for a deaf health charity. When I’m not doing that, I create content online that ranges from accessibility, identity, my lived experiences, and advocacy. I also love dyeing my buzzcut different colours, doing skincare and expressing myself!”
Sarah: “Heya, I’m Sarah Adedeji. I’m a full-time adult audiologist and a freelance creative. I’m also the co-founder of the Socially Sound podcast with Kirsty.”
Sarah (Left) and Kirsty (Right).
- Can you share a bit about your journey growing up Deaf and how it shaped your identity today?
Kirsty: “Funnily enough, despite growing up with a deaf mum and a deaf younger brother, I didn’t have a strong deaf identity until 5 years ago. I only learned sign language when I was 15, and since then, it’s opened up so many perspectives to my life and helped me learn so much about myself and other people within the community. If it wasn’t for joining a youth advisory group for deaf people when I was 14, I don’t think I would be as confident in my identity as I am now.”
Sarah: “I had the luxury of experiencing both mainstream and deaf education so, whilst I found community and more people ‘like’ me in deaf education, I understood the world better in mainstream education. Both environments contributed to how my identity was shaped and how I would experience intersectionality. Being surrounded by signers and speakers simultaneously changed my perspective on being on the fence between the deaf and hearing world and helped me to see the beauty of being able to transcend between both worlds whilst also existing in both worlds at the same time. Ironically, receiving cochlear implants at 18 was also a big push in finding comfort in my deafness.”
- What inspired you to start using your platform to advocate for the Deaf community and create educational content online?
Kirsty: “I had a bad experience at University where I didn’t have full access, and just wanted to get my feelings out. After that, I realised I can use my platform for change and encourage conversations around identity, community, language and so much more; whilst collaborating and working with some amazing creators in the industry.”
Sarah: “There was some online controversy that Kirsty was at the centre of, and, in a way, that sparked something in me. I jumped in-against her, and she recognised the potential in us working together. We each have a set of skills that complement each other, and we thought: why not use the voices we have? Why not bridge the different gaps there are? Through that, we cultivated a safe space for ourselves that we brought online and invited others to be a part of. We realised that topics are often discussed between us in the community but never necessarily shared online. We just felt there needed to be more of us out there.”
- As a Deaf content creator, what challenges have you faced in the digital space, and how have you overcome them?
Kirsty: “The biggest challenge has to be trying to get out of the box that Deaf content creators often get put in. We are often viewed as people who will either teach sign language or solely talk about being deaf, but we are so much more than that! We all have our own niche, passions, and hobbies that we want to share. I’m still overcoming that challenge but every time I put out content, I want it to be authentic and not catered to a false version of what people expect from me.”
Sarah: “Ignorance and tokenism. It’s hard educating when there’s still stereotypes and misconceptions to break down. Social media can be a horrible place. On the flip side, sign language is often viewed as an aesthetic and something visually pleasing, so we aren’t always approached with good intentions. Inaccessibility is something you can’t escape, it’s rampant in the digital space. It’s also taxing on us because we format our content in a way that reaches multiple audiences so we’re signing, doing voiceovers, captioning, and transcribing.”
- How can educational institutions better support Deaf and hard of hearing students?
Kirsty: “Implementing real policy change! We struggle in the educational system, and aren’t encouraged to be ambitious about our careers, hopes and dreams. That needs to stop. Yes, there are barriers in place, but that’s not because we are Deaf, that’s because of the systemic issues that exist and the people who don’t try to challenge them. We need to see change happening in educational policy that caters to Deaf people.”
Sarah: “Have everything you can think of under the sun available. No two Deaf people are the same. So, you can’t expect the same accommodation to be suitable for each person. Believe in our potential. Too often, yu see educational professionals purposefully mishandling a Deaf person’s education under the guise of it being for their good in the long run. They’re too quick to cap Deaf students at a place that disarms them and leaves them disadvantaged when it comes to applying for higher education, jobs, etc.”
- If you could redesign one public system or platform to be fully Deaf- accessible, what would it be and why?
Kirsty: “Access to Work. It’s supposed to help us get into work and have support in work that allows us to thrive in our careers. This might be accessing a BSL interpreter, lip speaker, notetaker, or equipment that helps us to access our working environments. But currently, Access to Work is failing a lot of us. There’s so many stories online where deaf and disabled people have left work or had to give up a promotion because they can’t get support from Access to Work in time. I would redesign that system to fit deaf and disabled people’s needs.”
Sarah: “If redesigning the world was an option, I would pick that. I can’t cherry pick. The ways society disables Deaf people happens in different ways so, for some, it it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
- Who would you say are your inspirations and why?
Kirsty: “There are so many people! Number one has to be my mum, she didn’t get the best chance in her education, so I always want to do the best I can, and make the most of the opportunities I’ve got, that she didn’t have. My best friends, they keep me going and are always there supporting me in whatever I do. And honestly, anyone else who keeps going despite how the world isn’t designed for us and pushes for change.
Sarah: “Every Deaf person I know. Being a creator has exposed me to much more of our community and I have to say there are some real inspirational people who aren’t even in the spotlight at all. There’s a common theme of resilience, ambition, and self-preservation. We are all slowly establishing ourselves in different sectors which I think will create small ripples of change that will affect transformation. I admire the different characters I have had the honour of encountering, working with, and becoming friends with.”
- What are your hopes for the future, and what is next for you personally and professionally?
Kirsty: “I hope to continue growing my platform, educating people, and meeting beautiful likeminded people along the way. Professionally, I want to progress and thrive in my career in Policy and Campaigns. I really want to meet other people who share the same passion and vision for change as me.
Sarah: “I hope for more Deaf people on the important tables, heading initiatives and decisions. For me, I am hoping to progress into paediatric audiology as well as being a medical professional that delivers Deaf awareness training. I did have a fleeting idea of having a Deaf-led audiology clinic possibly. Creatively, maybe another book. I would love to teach dance regularly. I am not sure. There’s a whole world out there, I just need to keep removing the limitations on myself.”
Here at Signature we would like to thank Kirsty and Sarah for sharing their stories with us. Their stories remind us that accessibility shouldn’t be a privilege but a right. Whether through policy or community-building, they are changing perceptions and opening doors for the Deaf community. Their journeys call us to advocate for a more accessible and inclusive world!