In support of Hearing Awareness Week in Australia, Julia Gilchrist, who was born deaf in both ears, shares her inspiring first-person story below.
In an emotional exclusive for The Carousel, she opens up about her long struggle to find work, independence and inclusion – and her never-ending advocacy for deaf and hearing-impaired Australians’ rights.
Inclusion – it’s one of those things you might not always think about, except of course when you don’t have it. I was born profoundly deaf in both ears, so being included is my passion.
I was born completely deaf to hearing parents and am the only deaf person in my family. Before pre-school, I attended The Shepherd Centre to learn to listen and speak, relying heavily on hearing aids, lip reading and body language to understand people talking to me.
But I had a very difficult time at school. Playgrounds and classrooms are noisy environments and I was often teased and taunted by other children. It was distressing to be unable to defend myself when I was blamed for things I hadn’t done, or to be talked about behind my back, as I couldn’t understand people unless they were looking at me while speaking.
I have an amazingly loving, supportive and resilient family and to help manage the impact of my hearing loss, I learnt a lot about yoga, meditation, mindfulness, healthy eating, gym training and crafts as positivity strategies.
But my early dependence on the people around me made me think creatively and strategically about how I would build my communication skills.
As the challenges became harder, I had to develop emotional resilience, stand on my own two feet and learn to advocate for myself effectively. My first important health challenge came at 10 years old, when my hearing de-stabilised like a rollercoaster.
As a result, I could only attend school from 9am-12pm each day for a whole term, and many budding primary school friendships broke down.
Cochlear implants changed the picture. At 20 years of age, I decided to get a cochlear implant so I could keep up at university and socialise. I graduated from the University of Technology, Sydney with BA Writing & Contemporary Cultures (Hons. Politics) in 2005, participated in a mock United Nations Conference and was a media intern for a Federal politician, so I was bamboozled to discover complex integration challenges in the workplace.
Finding a company that could recognise and work around my disability over the long-term was nearly impossible.
I also never planned on getting a second cochlear implant at 27, as I’d just started full time work, but a medical emergency saw me lose the remaining 3% hearing in my left ear, along with my my flat and my job. I moved home for a year-long recovery completing intensive speech and language training and endured many hours of frustration.
The turning point
Eventually, my world opened up as I began to recognise higher pitched sounds, understand words, speak more clearly and follow people’s tone of voice and use the telephone. Even though I lost my early independence, I didn’t regret getting the second implant as greater independence followed.
My girlfriends propelled me through the next nine years of applying for over 200 jobs with limited success. They helped me understand employers’ expectations, detailing the mentoring and effective professional development they were getting. I loved sharing their joy in discovering boundless opportunities as I knew my breakthrough would happen one day and I became passionate about securing meaningful and lasting inclusion in the workplace.
During my journey, I’ve discovered most Australian companies’ workplace adjustment and equality programs are under-utilised and often poorly implemented. Many are run by people who don’t understand the commitment involved or what people with disabilities expect will be delivered. I found the initial disability support and adjustments offered to me would wither away as colleagues and managers expect me to suddenly ‘get it.’
I struggled to accept that my career would depend on my direct manager being patient and was confused when they canned me for being “behind the eight-ball” with what was going on in the office. For instance, one manager didn’t fill me in on key strategic changes discussed at ‘Friday night drinks’ while I was at home getting much needed rest and recuperation for the next week.
Other managers struggled to keep me in the loop on important project developments and client requests. Some managers still thought my cochlear implant had cured my hearing loss and would call my name from other rooms and across open-plan offices. Attending noisy nighttime work events in some roles also pushed me beyond my functional limits.
People can think those with disabilities are fragile, but my life has made me tough on the inside and highly compassionate. My experiences have taught me the importance of effective inclusion programs and training for managers. Being open to thinking differently and creatively is also great for businesses. Taking the time to give me a bit more context with a detailed briefing goes a mile in helping my understanding.
Most importantly, inclusion makes me feel that despite being a bit different, I’m still a highly valued member of the team. I always knew that my motivation, patience and resilience would pay off, so when I joined HCF, Australia’s largest not-for-profit health fund in December 2015 I secured a full-time role in a great team. The major drawcard is working in a communications role for a company that understands how to support the demands I face in balancing my disability with working life. The not-for-profit health space has always held my attention, but HCF actively supports putting health first and I’m thriving because of it.
In my endless pursuit for inclusion, I’ve continued advocating for deaf and hearing-impaired Australians’ rights and ensuring that we receive the same opportunites as our peers. I am currently campaiging against the exclusion of hearing-impaired Australians from sitting on juries and am sure this breakthrough will come soon.
I wish I could look back at the little girl being bullied in the playground to tell her what she was yet to achieve, all on her own.
About the author:
Julia Gilchrist is currently working at the HCF HQ in Sydney as part of the Claims Operations Team. She is extremely passionate about social justice, health and community empowerment.
