Disability or Identity? – Hearing Loss and Self-Acceptance

Episode 6: The Future We Want: Tech, Culture & AccessibilityFor our final episode of the season, we're manifesting. Georgia and Yovina talk about the brands, tech and campaigners already changing things, and what they still want to see. Together they talk about:•       AirPods as hearing aids? Georgia worked with Apple on its hearing test feature. Yovina explains why she's not worried about over-the-counter options, but why people deserve to know how they differ from prescribed hearing aids.•       Built into glasses. Why patients have asked Yovina for years for hearing support in their glasses, and how Nuance Audio is getting people talking.•       Auracast. The Bluetooth technology now in Vue cinemas, the National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe, being trialled on TfL buses, and why it could replace the old hearing loop.•       Caption glasses at the cinema. Georgia tries Odeon's augmented-reality caption glasses at a premiere: "This is how everyone else experiences the cinema."•       Bolder designs and simpler tech. A matcha-coloured hearing aid, a one-button Bluetooth connection, and why tech should be easy for everyone, at any age.•       British Sign Language. Georgia on learning BSL with Signature, why it isn't part of audiology training, and the campaign by a 12-year-old to make it a GCSE.•       Subtitles for everyone. Why BSL interpreters only seem to appear very early or very late, and why subtitles help far more people than you'd think.•       Classrooms that include everyone. Deaf awareness for teachers, hearing breaks, and the classroom sound systems Yovina would put in every school. Plus the story of how Roger got its name.•       A letter to our younger selves. What a newly diagnosed teenager should experience in 20 years' time, and what Yovina and Georgia would tell themselves at 12.Timestamps00:00 Welcome to the season finale01:01 Brands leading the way01:22 Apple, AirPods and hearing tests04:01 Over-the-counter vs prescribed hearing aids05:22 Nuance Audio and celebrity voices07:33 Auracast vs hearing loops10:58 Caption glasses at the cinema12:41 Bolder designs for the future14:21 What Georgia wants from hearing tech17:32 Learning British Sign Language21:04 BSL as a GCSE24:09 A word from Nuance Audio25:04 Peppa Pig, BSL and subtitles27:26 Accessibility in schools30:08 How Roger got its name32:15 Deaf awareness for teachers33:57 In 20 years' time35:01 Quick-fire round36:06 Our takeaways38:11 What we'd tell our 12-year-old selvesMentioned in this episode•       Apple's AirPods hearing test and hearing aid feature•       Auracast•       Odeon's closed caption glasses•       Signature, for learning British Sign Language•       The British Sign Language Act 2022 and Daniel Jillings' campaign for a BSL GCSE•       Phonak's Roger classroom systems•       Dr Yovina's blog: Hearing aids built into glasses: Nuance AudioSponsored by Nuance AudioNuance 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.Thank you for listening to season 1 of The Hearing Edit. Follow the show, leave us a review, and tell us what you'd like us to talk about next. We'll be back.

Beauty standards have always had a narrow idea of what looks "right". In this episode, Georgia shares what that has meant for her as a model, and Yovina looks at how the hearing care industry has played its part. Together they talk about:•       Who wrote the standard? Slim, flawless and non-disabled. How the algorithm shapes what we see, the progress made by models like Ashley Graham and Winnie Harlow, and why disability in the media still feels "too polished".•       Visible or invisible? Georgia believes visibility is pride. Yovina explains why she never markets "the most invisible hearing aid", but why having the choice matters most.•       From rainbow to beige. Children get glitter, stickers and every colour going. Adults get shades of beige. What that shift tells us, and Georgia on once feeling her hearing aids made her less feminine.•       A standard you can never meet. Trends change every few years, so chasing them means never quite getting there.•       From medical device to accessory. Glasses were once "nerdy". Now designers make them and people wear them without lenses. Could hearing technology follow? Plus an open invitation to Chanel, and what we'd rename hearing aids.•       Ask for the colours. Why Georgia had to ask her NHS clinic for the colour book she hadn't seen in 20 years, and why appearance matters so much to whether people wear their hearing aids at all.•       "You don't look deaf." The compliment that isn't one, and the jewellery shoot where a photographer tried to hide Georgia's hearing aids.•       Quick-fire round. Visible or invisible, gold or silver, bold or neutral: Georgia's beauty standards.Timestamps00:00 Welcome back to The Hearing Edit00:24 Who wrote the standard?02:50 Representation in fashion and media03:43 Is disability shown too polished?06:34 Invisible hearing aids and marketing06:56 Visibility is pride08:40 It's all about choice10:47 Status, femininity and hearing aids12:05 From rainbow colours to beige13:39 A standard that keeps moving15:22 Glasses: from medical device to accessory16:19 Chanel, please collaborate17:58 The role of the beauty industry19:58 A word from Nuance Audio20:54 Hearing aids as a fashion statement24:31 Rebranding everyday products25:51 What should we call them instead?27:53 Asking for colour options29:57 Why appearance matters31:49 "You don't look deaf"36:46 The jewellery shoot40:08 Quick-fire round41:03 Our takeawaysMentioned in this episode•       Ashley Graham and Winnie Harlow•       The Equality Act 2010, discussed in episode 3: Disability or Identity?•       Hearing aid jewellery•       Gucci and Oura's ring collaboration•       Dr Yovina's blog: Hearing aids built into glasses: Nuance AudioSponsored by Nuance AudioNuance 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.Which designer would you love to see make a hearing aid? Tell us in the comments, follow The Hearing Edit, and join us next week for the final episode of the season.

We all have expectations about the things we rely on every day, and reality doesn't always match up. In this episode, Georgia shares the moments that caught her out, and Yovina explains what's really going on behind them. Together they talk about:•       "Access to sound, not my hearing back." Why hearing aids aren't like glasses, and why your brain needs eight to twelve weeks to adapt.•       Hearing the tap again. Georgia on rediscovering everyday sounds like running water and turning pages, and why everything feels loud at first.•       Where is that sound coming from? A near miss on a country lane, why Georgia won't ride a Lime bike alone, and Yovina on why having two ears matters.•       The blurry book. Why background noise is so much harder, and why a damaged hearing system can't be made crisp again, even with the best tech.•       Why sooner is better. From children's "spongy" brains to the links with wellbeing later in life, and why it's worth booking a hearing test now rather than in five years.•       And Just Like That… Steve, his hearing aids, and why TV still plays hearing loss for laughs.•       The admin nobody sees. Batteries dying minutes before recording, a hairspray disaster before a premiere, rain, a one-year-old with a pen, and dogs who love earwax. Plus Yovina's tips for keeping your devices in good shape.•       Private or NHS? Georgia's honest experience of two private clinics and why she went back to the NHS. Yovina explains what you're really paying for with private hearing aids, and why you should never feel stuck with one clinic.•       Quick-fire round. Who owns NHS hearing aids, and does turning them up help in a noisy room?Timestamps00:00 Welcome back to The Hearing Edit00:52 Expectation vs reality01:14 Do hearing aids fix your hearing?03:07 Why your brain needs time to adapt03:56 Rediscovering everyday sounds05:39 Sound localisation and a near miss07:44 Why we have two ears09:47 Background noise11:53 Why sooner is better14:34 Listening fatigue doesn't disappear15:54 And Just Like That…17:24 The admin nobody sees21:24 Moulds, tubing and the hairspray incident24:11 How tough are hearing aids?25:18 A word from Nuance Audio26:14 Pets, toddlers and earwax28:43 Setting up your home30:06 Why the fitting matters31:34 Private vs NHS: Georgia's experience37:43 What do hearing aids cost?40:30 Quick-fire round42:26 Our takeawaysMentioned in this episode•       And Just Like That (HBO Max)•       Episode 1: Seen and Heard – Hearing Loss in the Media•       Hearing aid battery key rings•       Flashing smoke alarms and vibrating alarm clocks•       Access to Work•       RNID•       Dr Yovina's blog: Hearing aids built into glasses: Nuance AudioSponsored by Nuance AudioNuance 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.If this episode got you thinking, follow The Hearing Edit, leave us a review, and tell us what you'd like us to talk about next. New episodes every week.

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".Timestamps00:00 Welcome back to The Hearing Edit00:43 Disability or identity?02:04 Why hearing loss still feels like an older person's thing04:47 Owning the word "disability"07:57 The Equality Act and the barriers society creates10:08 The cure question13:17 The cycle of acceptance16:33 Internalised audism and the "messy middle"19:52 How long does acceptance take?24:43 A word from Nuance Audio26:01 What helped Georgia turn a corner27:00 Why some people stop wearing hearing aids29:29 Taking the first step31:09 Finding the right clinic for you32:59 The spectrum problem34:28 Deaf gains38:00 Railcards, discounts and Access to Work44:01 The Truth Edit46:32 Our takeawaysMentioned 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 AudioSponsored by Nuance AudioNuance 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.If this episode got you thinking, follow The Hearing Edit, leave us a review, and send it to someone who needs to hear it. New episodes every week.

Episode 2: Filling in the Gaps – The Hidden Challenges of Hearing LossLiving with hearing loss means thinking about lots of small things that hearing people never have to. They're little things, but they add up. In this episode, Georgia shares the everyday challenges most people don't see, and Yovina explains what's going on and how to make life easier. Together they talk about:•       The safe list. Before every night out, Georgia runs through a mental tick list: where are the speakers, how's the lighting, where's the quietest corner, and are there any babies? Why that "pre-social stress" is real, and why it's OK to ask to change tables.•       Friendships and being misunderstood. Some friends make adjustments without being asked. Others assume that if your hearing aids are in, you're fine. Georgia also explains why she has to be introverted to be extroverted.•       Why Georgia never picks up the phone. Calls have to be planned, in a quiet room, on loudspeaker. We also talk about Bluetooth and music, and why even the best hearing aids are designed for speech, not music.•       "Never mind, it doesn't matter." Why missing one part of a conversation can mean missing the whole evening, and the domino effect that follows.•       When your hearing aids get misread. A hearing aid affected by the heat, a voice that came out louder than Georgia realised, and a misunderstanding that followed. Yovina explains why heat and condensation can change how you hear your own voice.•       Dating with hearing loss. When do you tell someone? Georgia shares the time a boyfriend already knew and didn't think it was a big deal. Yovina explains why partners should come along to audiology appointments, and why calling from upstairs or chatting at the sink is not a realistic expectation.•       Listening fatigue. It's one of the biggest hidden challenges, and one of the least understood. Imagine reading a book where every third word is missing, and your brain filling in the gaps all day. Yovina explains why hearing aids help but can't get rid of it completely. Georgia shares how she manages her energy.•       Holidays. Pools, sun, beach bars and noisy clubs are some of the hardest places for hearing aids. Georgia talks about sitting out a pool day on a hen do, why holidays with her mum feel easier, and what she always packs.•       The Truth Edit. How many people wouldn't date someone who wears hearing aids? The answer comes from RNID.Timestamps00:00 Welcome back to The Hearing Edit00:54 The safe list for nights out04:29 Deaf-aware friends and being misunderstood06:30 Introvert, extrovert, or both?07:13 Why Georgia never picks up the phone08:45 Bluetooth, music and hearing aids10:52 Telling new people about your hearing loss14:07 "Never mind, it doesn't matter"15:33 When your hearing aids get misread17:43 A word from Nuance Audio18:36 Dating with hearing loss26:01 Listening fatigue34:00 Holidays with hearing aids41:17 The Truth Edit43:11 Our takeawaysMentioned in this episode•       RNID•       Dinner table syndrome•       Listening fatigue•       Dr Yovina's blog: Hearing aids built into glasses: Nuance AudioSponsored by Nuance AudioNuance 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.If this episode got you thinking, follow The Hearing Edit, leave us a review, and send it to someone who needs to hear it. New episodes every week.

Welcome to The Hearing Edit, the podcast that opens up new conversations about hearing loss. In our first episode, we look at how deafness and hearing loss are shown on TV and in fashion, and why representation matters so much.Yovina brings the clinical side as an audiologist. Georgia has worn hearing aids since she was 18 months old, so she brings lived experience. Together they talk about:Peppa Pig. George's new hearing aid storyline gets lots of things right: a moderate hearing loss in one ear, an accurate hearing test, and nursery friends who shout at him to help (please don't!). We also discuss why it matters that a main character, not a one-episode token, has hearing loss.Love Island. Was Sam really "too quiet", or was the villa just one of the hardest listening environments imaginable? We talk about echoey open-plan rooms, group chats, whispering and darkness, and why hearing aids work best within about 1.5 metres. Georgia also reveals she was approached to go on the show three years running.Strictly. Rose Ayling-Ellis's historic win, and the BAFTA-winning silent dance that showed audiences want to see something different.Fashion and modelling. Georgia talks about hiding her hearing aids as a 16-year-old model. She also talks about her PETA campaign, where her hearing aids were on full view for the first time, and why that no longer made her uncomfortable."Deaf model" or "model who wears hearing aids"? An honest conversation about labels, pride, and not wanting hearing loss to become your whole story.Lip reading. It's a puzzle, not a superpower. We also cover how tiring it is to fill in the gaps all day, and give a shout-out to lip-reading queen Jackie.The Truth Edit. Our new myth-or-fact segment. This week: which celebrities have hearing loss? Some of the answers might surprise you.Timestamps00:00 Welcome to The Hearing Edit03:07 Peppa Pig and George's hearing aid14:50 Love Island: what went wrong for Sam?25:19 Strictly and Rose's silent dance28:46 Modelling with hearing aids32:43 The truth about lip reading37:49 "Deaf model" or "model who wears hearing aids"?44:32 The Truth Edit48:28 Our takeawaysMentioned in this episodeGeorgia's PETA campaign, which you can watch on PETA's InstagramJackie, the lip-reading creator: @tismejackiegThe National Deaf Children's SocietyZebedee ManagementMénière's diseaseSponsored by Nuance AudioNuance 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 hostsDr Yovina is an audiologist and the founder of Dr Yovina Audiology. Find her at @dryovina and www.dryovina.co.uk.Georgia Meacham is an actor, model and deaf advocate. Find her at @georgiameacham.If this episode got you thinking, follow The Hearing Edit, leave us a review, and send it to someone who needs to hear it. New episodes every week.