A DEAF woman has graduated from university with a 2:1 upper class honours degree in law after being told whilst growing up her disability would be a “limitation” for her.
Toyosi Badejo-Okusanya said she has been told by people on social media and even some family members to keep her disability off job applications in case it stands in her way of being considered.
The 20-year-old was first diagnosed as deaf when she was four-years-old, due to an unknown cause, and wears her hearing aids every day.
During her four years at university she struggled during lectures in large halls and was often unable to follow what was being said.
Studying was made even harder for Toyosi when Covid hit and teaching staff would wear face masks – interfering with her ability to lip read.
However, the determined Londoner worked hard and graduated with a degree in law at the University of Kent last month.
On Wednesday she shared a video of her graduation on TikTok, writing: “POV – You were told being deaf would be a limitation for you but you’ve just graduated from law with a 2:1 and a first class dissertation in a study of deaf women in the UK.”
Speaking today, Toyosi, who currently works in marketing for a luxury clothing brand, said: “Some family members and others on social media advised me not to put my disability on application pages.
“At first, I thought they might have a point because I kept getting rejections. With time, I realised that it was doing more harm than good because why would I want to work for a company that could possibly discriminate due to my deafness?
“When I first started applying for jobs, I didn’t really have a preference and was more concerned with the optics.
“I was listening to a Confident and Killing It podcast when the lady said that companies need you just as much as you need them.
“That shifted my perspective, and it served as a wake-up call that, because of my disability, I wanted to be a part of a culture that valued inclusivity and diversity.
“My desire to study Law has always been there, but I believe it was sparked by watching television shows such as Scandal – seeing how Kerry Washington was extremely bold and audacious, especially for a woman.
“Seeing how women and people with disabilities are still treated in today’s society despite all the discourse on diversity and inclusion, inspired me to influence policy and bring about change.”
Toyosi, whose dissertation in ‘A Study of Deaf Women in the UK’ achieved a 1st class grade, said that she experienced many challenges while studying, with unexpected hurdles appearing during times of Covid-19.
She added: “Coming into university was definitely a huge jump from A-levels, where I had much smaller classes.
“I didn’t know much about the reasonable adjustments that could be made for me, so I struggled at first to express my needs clearly.
“Despite struggling in large lecture halls and being unable to follow what was being said, I was hesitant.
“Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, Covid-19 arrived and we switched to online learning, which was more difficult because a one-hour lecture took me more than five hours to complete.
“It was also exhausting when we returned to in-person learning in my final year.
“While I was aware of the health risks, some lecturers refused to wear clear masks, which conflicted with my need to lipread.
“My university tried to an extent to support me in the best way they could, including providing a note-taker in most of my lectures and seminars.”
Toyosi also offered advice to others with hearing impairments or disabilities who may be apprehensive about studying at university.
She said: “With time, it gets easier. Communicate your needs and, where necessary, vent to close friends and family.
“You may have to fight for your right to accessibility, but it will be worth it once you establish your standard.”
Toyosi’s dream is to secure a job as a human rights lawyer and to raise awareness for people who have hearing impairments.
