Love Island's Tasha Praised For Raising Awareness Of Deaf Community
Topics: TV And Film, Love Island
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: ITV/Tasha Ghouri/Instagram
Topics: TV And Film, Love Island
Love Island's Tasha Ghouri is being praised online for raising awareness of the deaf community.
The show kicked off on Monday (6 June) welcoming 11 new singles to the Majorcan villa. Towards the end of the episode, Tasha gathered her new islanders around the firepit to tell them she's deaf.
You can watch the video below:
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"I was born completely deaf, and I wear a cochlear implant in my right ear," said Tasha, 23.
"It's just something cool I've got about myself, it doesn't define me it's just a part of who I am. I call it my superpower."
And viewers at home were quick to praise Tasha for raising awareness, with one person writing: "Tasha getting everyone together to tell them she was born deaf is so relatable and it is so DAUNTING having to explain a disability to new people let alone doing it knowing it’s going to be on national TV. Queen behaviour."
While another tweeted: "I love the fact that Tasha is so openly sharing about being deaf and raising awareness of disabilities on such a big show like @LoveIsland that takes a lot! She’s going to go far."
And a third said: "So good hearing Tasha opening up about her being born deaf and wearing her cochlear implants brings awareness which is good! Good on her!"
Other viewers were quick to praise the islanders for their support, with another adding: "Everyone being so supportive of Tasha being deaf makes my heart so full social situations can be so stressful with a hearing impairment."
Tasha, a model and dancer from Thirsk, north Yorkshire, is Love Island's first deaf contestant. Tasha was born completely deaf and had a cochlear implant fitted when she was five.
Speaking before the show she said: “I inspire quite a lot of people because I’m really open about it.”
Discussing finding love in the villa, she added: “This is an opportunity for me to find ‘the one’ and have a great summer at the same time. I’m definitely ready for a relationship.
“I’m 23 now so I’m ready to get to know someone, go on holidays and travel with them.
“I think guys get quite intimidated by me. I’ve been on so many dates before but it just hasn’t worked out for me. I haven’t found that click with somebody yet. I think I’m waiting for that click moment and that spark, it’s all about the spark on the first date.”
Love Island continues on Tuesday 7 June at 9pm on ITV2.