On 16 September 2026, I celebrated the publication of my book, The Deaf Legal Dilemma: Challenging Equality Law, at UWE Bristol. It was a wonderful afternoon, bringing together colleagues, friends, researchers and members of the deaf community, both in person and online.
After years of research, writing and revising, it was quite something to finally stand in front of an audience and talk about the book!
I’m delighted to share that the full recording of my book launch presentation is now available on YouTube.
The presentation is delivered in British Sign Language (BSL), with an English translation and optional English subtitles.
Why did I write the book?
Before entering academia, I spent around 11 years working as a solicitor at the Royal Association for Deaf People, advising deaf clients on a wide range of legal issues.
One question continued to trouble me: why were deaf people still experiencing so much discrimination and inequality when we already had laws designed to protect them?
That question eventually led to my PhD research and, ultimately, this book.
The Deaf Legal Dilemma challenges the way equality law understands and responds to deaf people. It explores the limitations of existing legal protections, different understandings of deaf identity, and what meaningful equality might look like if we approached deaf people’s rights differently.
During the launch, I also explain the thinking behind the book cover, the different models of deaf identity, and my proposed Deaf Rights Model.
A few thank yous
I remain grateful to everyone who joined the launch, whether in person or online, and to those who have supported me throughout the journey.
My thanks go to UWE Bristol, the Global Crime, Justice and Security Research Group, and Hart Publishing for their support in making both the book and the launch possible.
And, of course, a special thank you to the interpreters (BSL and International Sign) and captioner who helped make the event accessible.
Watch the recording
If you weren’t able to attend, or would like to revisit the presentation, you can now watch it in full below.
The Deaf Legal Dilemma: Challenging Equality Law was published by Hart Publishing in June 2026 and is available in hardback and digital formats.
Thank you again for all your support. I hope you enjoy watching the recording!
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