Strictly star Rose Ayling-Ellis has received support from dance partner Giovanni Pernice after raising her concerns about a medical breakthrough that could “cure” deaf children.
Rose and Giovanni first formed a friendship while on Strictly in 2021. The pair won the hearts of the nation and took home the Glitterball trophy. Giovanni developed such respect for Rose that he has continued to be an advocate for deaf people.
However, since finding out about a family who chose to restore their baby’s hearing, Rose has admitted she is “terrified”.
Giovanni and Rose won Strictly in 2022 (Credit: Splashnews.com)
Rose and Giovanni
Sharing a photo of herself as a child on Instagram, Rose attached a lengthy caption to express her fears.
“Here is a photo of me as a toddler. If I had been born a couple of years later, my life could have been very different,” she wrote.
“Today, it was reported that a gene therapy trial has taken place. I knew that it was going to happen, but I didn’t expect it so soon. My first reaction was feeling terrified and heartbroken. It feels like the end.”
Explaining why she is concerned, Rose said: “Imagine a world where everyone is ‘normal’. What will become of our story, our culture, language, and identity? Will we be the last deaf generation and end up in a museum somewhere?”
She stated that “deaf people have existed throughout human history”. She continued to ask: “Who decides that their lives are not worth being integrated into society? Who assumes that we want to be ‘fixed’? Where will they draw the line?”
While raising her concerns, Rose received support from her followers (Credit: Splashnews.com)
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