Deaf stories, role models and influential figures

If we asked you to name a deaf person from history, who comes to mind first? 

In school, you might have learned about Helen Keller or Beethoven being deaf. But did you know that there are many more deaf people – both in recent years and stretching back over centuries ago – who've focused on supporting, inspiring and validating the lives and experiences of deaf people?

On this page, we've gathered just a few inspiring stories of deaf people including Jodie Ounsley, Scott Garthwaite and other deaf dreamers doing amazing things across the world.

Dorothy Miles

Take poet Dorothy Miles. Called Dot, she was born in Denbighshire in 1931. After losing her hearing due to meningitis when she was 8 years old, Dot went on to become a remarkable poet and activist. 

She composed her poems in English, British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL), with a goal of bridging the gap between the hearing and deaf worlds. Her legacy lives on in things like Dot Sign Language and the Purple Plaque (BBC News) outside her childhood home in Wales.

Gavin Lilley

Gavin has dedicated more than 20 years to the field of sign language training and development. As a native deaf British Sign Language (BSL) user from a multi-generational deaf family, Gavin is also fluent in Estonian, Finnish and American sign languages.

Whether serving as a translator, BSL teacher, deaf awareness trainer or an anchor for an international deaf news programme, Gavin uses his extensive experience to promote inclusivity and BSL. And as a stand-up comedian who’s toured all over Europe (Signature), he’s brought laughter to deaf and hearing people by using comedy to express himself and educate others.

Jack Ashley

After becoming profoundly deaf at age 45 following an operation for a mild hearing loss, British politician Jack Ashley (UK Parliament) initially prepared to resign his parliamentary seat.

Others encouraged him to turn to lip-reading instead of resigning, which led to him becoming the UK’s first profoundly deaf MP (and potentially the only one in the world). His campaigning world led to the creation of the All Party Parliamentary Disability Group and Deafness Research UK.

Jodie Ounsley

You might know her as Fury, as this Deaf English rugby player has become a legend in the BBC One reboot of ‘Gladiators’. Having grown up as a profoundly deaf person, Jodie enjoys being a champion of the deaf community and showing young people that they can do anything they put their minds to – they just have to believe they can.

Her ‘Keep smashing it: be strong, be brave, be confident book (Pan Macmillan publishing) is full of stories from her life that will inspire you to believe in yourself – and smash barriers along the way.

Millie Bobby Brown

Born in 2004, this Spanish-born British actress became a global star after her blockbuster performance as Eleven in the TV show ‘Stranger Things’. She was born with hearing loss, and she’s now deaf in one ear.

Having gone on to other roles – including Enola Holmes – she's taken an empowering approach to her life with deafness. In an interview with Variety, she said “I just started to sing, and if I sound bad, I don’t care, because I’m just doing what I love. You don’t have to be good at singing. You don’t have to be good at dancing or acting. If you like to do it, if you genuinely enjoy doing it, then do it. No one should stop you.”

Nadia Nadarajah

Nadia is a British Deaf actress, director and writer who’s well-known for her work in theatre, where she’s advocated to make performances more accessible to Deaf audiences. Her Spotlight article on being a performer and deaf representation offers insights into the 'triumphs and challenges' of being a deaf actor. 

Her older brother is also deaf, and she’s shared that after attending a mainstream primary with support, she boarded at Mary Hare Grammar School in Berkshire. In addition to using BSL herself, she’s worked as a Teacher of the Deaf and is an advocate for the arts.

Rose Ayling-Ellis

As an actress and the first deaf contestant to win ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, Rose has been a strong advocate for the deaf community, using her platform to raise awareness about deafness and promote the use of BSL. Born in 1994, she made history in 2021 when she shared the experience of dancing to a song without sound, a moment that moved millions.

In 2022, she became the first celebrity to sign a bedtime story on CBeebies. She’s gone on to unveil the first deaf Barbie, present the BBC documentary Signs for Change, write several books for deaf children and serve as presenter for Channel 4’s coverage of the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

In her book ‘Marvellous Messages’ (DK Publishing), Rose writes about other deaf superstars – such as Kitty O’Neil, Cliff Bastin, Thomas Edison, Ruth Montgomery, Haben Girma, Millicent Simmonds and herself!

Scott Garthwaite

Also known as the ‘Punk Chef’, Scott’s journey as a deaf chef is a testament to his passion for food and his determination to make it accessible to the deaf community. Despite initial challenges, he pursued a culinary degree and trained under some of the UK’s most renowned chefs – which led him to work with distinguished restaurants and win major awards.

His TV series (‘Punk Chef’ and ‘Punk Chef on the Road’) have educated and entertained viewers while showcasing Scott’s talent and promoting inclusivity. ‘Punk Trucks’ is Scott’s latest venture, which uses food trucks to celebrate deaf culture and create employment opportunities for deaf individuals in the culinary world.

Yvonne Cobb

Food and lifestyle TV presenter, vlogger and celebrity cook Yvonne Cobb (YouTube) is known for her advocacy of British Sign Language.

She focuses on promoting inclusivity, particularly in the workplace, and empowering deaf people through education and awareness of rights. Her Yumma Food project serves as a platform for her culinary and sign language initiatives.

Wanting to learn more about deaf people, both from recent years and long ago? Try looking up Ben Fletcher (BBC), Mark Levin (The Limping Chicken blog), Tilly Edinger (A World of Women in STEM), Cece Bell (The Guardian) and Tasha Stones (Grazia) – just to name a few!