50 new photographs of hearing aid users aged between 20 and 60 have been made available to the public for free, with the aim of sharing a \u201cmore contemporary and positive representation\u201d of the devices and those who wear them.<\/p>\n
The first collection of images in the\u00a0New Norm\u00a0image library \u2013 taken by deaf photographer Gala Ricote \u2013 were shared by hearing aid manufacturer GN in 2024, and feature comedian Lara Ricote, singer-songwriter James Page and Paralympian Olivia Breen.<\/p>\n
The latest images, from Danish photographer Oliver Knauer, were published on Tuesday \u2013 to mark this year\u2019s World Hearing Day, and the release of new YouGov research commissioned by GN.<\/p>\n
Of the 1,000 Britons with hearing loss surveyed, almost 80 per cent said the media gets key aspects of their lives wrong, with 77 per cent of respondents in both Australia and the United States agreeing with the same statement.<\/p>\n
Nearly half (49 per cent) of people surveyed in UK could not name a single instance from the past year where someone wearing a hearing aid or cochlear implant appeared in content unrelated to hearing loss or hearing devices, while just over 40 per cent cited \u201c[framing] people as elderly, fragile or dependent\u201d as a common misconception in media portrayals.<\/p>\n
GN\u2019s chief audiology officer, Laurel Christensen, said the \u201cmedia invisibility\u201d and \u201cunrealistic portrayal\u201d of hearing loss highlighted by the statistics \u201ccan negatively impact the mental health\u201d of those living with the condition and \u201cdeter others from seeking help\u201d.<\/p>\n
He continued: \u201cGN wants to challenge the outdated misconceptions of hearing aids and living with hearing loss, fostering an environment where wearing hearing aids is seen as a symbol of empowerment in daily life, and our\u00a0New Norm\u00a0image library gives newsrooms, brands and creators practical assets to change it.\u201d<\/p>\n