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'I want privacy' Rose Ayling-Ellis on difficult GP visits as BSL becomes official language
BBC News at One o’clock this lunchtime to speak about British Sign Language (BSL) becoming a legally recognised language.The Strictly Come Dancing star gave an example of one of the many barriers deaf people face through a lack of understanding and miscommunication. British Sign Language is on its way to becoming an officially recognised language in England, which will make a huge impact on the deaf community in this country.The government has claimed they will back the new bill that will legally recognise BSL, which was put forward to be debated in the House of Commons this afternoon.One of the most high-profile campaigners supporting the bill is Rose, who recently broke down barriers by not only competing on Strictly Come Dancing as its first ever contestant, but also going on to win the show.Rose and her partner Giovanni Pernice wowed audiences with their incredible chemistry and beautifully choreographed dances.Like many people in the deaf community, Rose hopes that this change to the law will see BSL become more widely used and promoted.One example she gave of how it could be more widely used was at the GP surgery, where deaf people can sometimes be forced to bring members of their family along in lieu of an interpreter.In an interview with BBC’s Jonathan Blake, she said: “If I go to the doctor and there’s no interpreter, it means that I have to bring a family member with me.“But I don’t want that, I want privacy,” she stated firmly.British sign language has been an essential communication tool that deaf people have used for hundreds of years, but it currently has no legal status.Labour MP Rosie Cooper, whose parents are both deaf, has proposed new laws which appear to have a lot of support from the government.The
