I’m profoundly deaf, and over the past 13 weeks I’ve been blown away – both as a dancer and an advocate for deaf rights
![Rose Ayling-Ellis’s Strictly victory shows deaf people can do anything | Annie Harris](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2009975dfe0bf6968c1981985e6fe2ee52c4a2d8/0_22_3500_2100/master/3500.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctb3BpbmlvbnMucG5n&enable=upscale&s=568ca623c5f7dc55c4ca24d3a6522236)
I’m absolutely thrilled that Rose Ayling-Ellis has won
Strictly Come Dancing – it’s a landmark moment for the deaf community. I am so proud of her.
When I first heard about her appearing on the BBC’s Saturday night dance contest, I was unprepared for what an impact she would have – on me and the general population, both as a dancer and as an advocate for deaf rights. It’s amazing to see somebody like me dancing on national TV.
Annie Harris is an advocacy officer for RNID and teaches BSL