'The deaf community deserves to be seen, heard and included - especially in fitness spaces'

India Morse, a WH Collective trainer says the gyms and studios need to be more inclusive

Imagine trying to keep up with a fitness class, in the dark, without being able to follow what the instructor says. Fatigue and anxiety have already set in – even before the sweat has started to form. This has been my experience, time and time again, when I’ve visited fitness studios all over London.

As a deaf fitness instructor, and Women’s Health Collective trainer, I’m calling for more gyms and fitness classes to be inclusive for those in the deaf community. I have countless examples of stepping into (almost) every studio, faced with complete darkness, the instructor’s lips masked by the microphone – making it inaccessible for me to lip read their instructions.

Being deaf has a crucial impact on our ability to navigate a hearing world – but deafness can be an invisible disability making it more difficult for us to be seen and heard. As we celebrate Deaf Awareness Week, this week, I want to highlight why gyms being inclusive is so close to my heart. I would love to break down communication barriers and encourage better communication between deaf and hearing individuals.

Confidence knock

My journey started 10 years ago when I excitedly decided to visit well-known fitness studios such as Barry’s Bootcamp, 1Rebel and F45. Instead of walking out of the studios feeling empowered, I’d be close to tears, feeling lost and alone – the fast-paced environments meant I couldn’t lip-read the trainer’s instructions and the usually dark environments meant I couldn’t follow along – I felt like I didn’t belong there. These classes are daunting enough, without the added insecurity of not knowing what is going on around us.

I knew I wouldn’t be alone though – and as I built up my community via my social media pages it was heartbreaking for me to hear that so many other deaf people felt the same way. So, is it any wonder why deaf people don’t attend group classes that often? In the past, I’ve asked deaf people in the community if they would attend a fitness class alone, and 90% of them said no. Our confidence is impacted by the communication barriers we face.

Mental health is important – and movement or fitness can be so key to improving your mental health. So, it’s not surprising to hear that research by the NHS shows that the deaf community has higher rates of mental health issues than hearing individuals. Personally, it was exhausting to pick myself back up and find the courage to go back into that environment – especially when many didn’t understand or weren’t able to support me. My mental health and wellbeing were severely affected – and knocked my confidence to rock bottom.

By using my network and community, via my Instagram page, I’ve been able to share these experiences – the highs and the lows. I’m not afraid to share my vulnerability, as well as my strength. People often think it’s bravery, but I think it’s honesty and transparency. It’s paramount for people to understand what it is like, on a daily basis, for a deaf person.

I always share the raw and honest experiences that I go through – it might be unconventional, especially in a world where we always get the ‘highlight reels’ of people’s lives, but who does it help if we carry on convincing ourselves that there isn’t a real issue here? Change is slow but slow is better than nothing at all.

Fitness studios need to be ‘deaf aware’

In 2024, there isn’t a viable excuse for the lack of inclusivity. Being deaf-aware can make a difference and help to remove barriers that impact us.

I strongly encourage gyms and fitness studios to undertake deaf awareness training. The knowledge you’ll learn will allow you to communicate with deaf members (and potentially new members) and make the community feel included. Learning basic British Sign Language will also make us feel more welcome.

When it comes to fitness events and pop-ups, which are common in this industry, and normally led by big fitness brands, there is no afterthought about accessibility for the deaf community. At the planning and budget stages of these events, making them accessible to everyone should be prioritized – simply booking sign language interpreters will help us network and enjoy the experience, as anyone would. Events should not be promoted if they aren’t able to be inclusive.

This is why I am so excited to collaborate with Psycle this Wednesday for Deaf Awareness Week. The class will have a Psycle instructor and a British sign language interpreter. The event is sold out and has 30 people on the waitlist – the numbers speak for themselves. But, an event like this is so rare.

I’m passionate about the fitness industry and my deaf peers. It’s time the deaf community is prioritised in an inclusive and accessible way, as opposed to just being shoehorned into a ‘one size fits all’ status quo. The deaf community deserves to be seen, heard and included.

India is a Women’s Health Collective trainer. JOIN NOW to get access to exclusive training plans and workout videos in the Women’s Health app.