Carly Findlay's Blog, page 17

If you don’t know how to pronounce Ichthyosis, please don’t offer me unsolicited advice

You know, there’s absolutely no need to offer a stranger unsolicited advice, especially not a “cure”, for our disability or chronic illness. Not in public or via email and social media. Never,

And yes, I’ve tried Percy’s Powder, goat’s milk, mangosteen juice, Chinese herbs, essential oils. retinoids and fish oil (and more). I haven’t got the attention span to sit still for yoga.

I also don’t want a cure for my Ichthyosis – but I’d love a cure for other people’s ableism.

Image:: a selfie of a woman with a red face, short dark curly hair tied back, sort of smiling, wearing a grey green jacket over a green jumper. A yellow and green budgie and flower necklace is around her neck and a fairy penguin wrapped in fairy bread brooch is on her lapel. White text ok black is is in the corner of the image, text reads “most people don’t know how to pronounce ichthyosis, but they know what will “cure” it”, and below is CarlyFindlay.com.au

My chapter for Oh Matilda, Who Bloody Killed Her? – as part of The Australian’s Summer relay story in 2020-21

A few years ago, I was asked to take part in a story relay for The Australian newspaper. It was where each chapter would be written by a different writer – steering the story in all new directions. It was called Oh Matilda, Who Bloody Killed Her?. Here is an article about the project. And you can read the whole story on The Australian (it’s behind a paywall).

Caroline Overington asked me to write for it, and I’m glad I said yes. It was a lot of fun, and I got to insert as many lefty diversity tropes as I could in it, as I knew it would reach a new audience. Initially I was a bit hesitant to write about a dead woman, even though the story was fictitious, but I was able to steer the story in a new direction after seeing what Charles Woolley had written in the chapter before me.

While my chapter is standalone, and you can only read the whole story with a subscription to The Australian, I think the messages in the chapter deserve an outing Here it is.

McCredden blinked. 

Matilda Meadows wasn’t dead. She was standing in front of him, wearing cut off jeans and a black tshirt with “Always Was Always Will Be” in yellow and red letters. Dark regrowth coming through her Vodka bleached hair. She was holding a ring clip binder, filled with sheets of paper. 

She had no obvious signs of injury, and certainly no obvious signs of death. 

“Fucking hell. We’ve been investigating your death, Matilda. What’s going on?” McCredden asked, still stunned, 

“McCredden, I’ve been working on a project. Needed some time to think”. 

McCredden smacked his palm to his face, wiping beads of sweat. He had cuts on his body from the sharp leaves. He took a tentative step closer, nervously expecting Matilda to have company. 

She sensed his apprehension. “It’s ok, I’m just here with a few mates. They’re harmless. But we want to talk.”

Matilda gestured McCredden to come inside. 

He cast his eyes beyond Matilda. The squat wasn’t such as derelict as it looked from the outside. It was modern, He noticed nine people sitting around the table. 

The people waved, greeting McCredden.

“Who are these people?”, McCredden asked, feeling a bit intimidated. 

“Oh, they’re The Australian Screen Industry Diversity Working Group.” 

“Sorry? Where did they come from?”, McCredden asked. 

“They’ve  always been here, mate. You’ve just overlooked them.”

The Working Group members waved, inviting him to a spare seat at the table. McCredden sat down and Matilda  walked to the head of the table. She remained standing, 

The group was a diverse looking bunch, McCredden thought. Black and brown people, people with foreign accents, someone in a wheelchair, a plus sized woman in a hijab, someone with a large facial scar…

He’d never felt so outnumbered. 

Matilda cleared her throat. 

“While you’ve been trying to solve the mystery of my death, I’ve been working with the top diverse actors in the country. We’ve put together a blueprint”, Matilda said, with all the confidence of a CEO. 

She continued. 

“I organised with the morgue to get a stunt double of my body. Made it look like my dead body. The morgue has rubber cadavers. It was a real likeness of me.”

“Faking your death?”, McCredden spluttered, sweating even more now than he did walking through the jungle.  “That’s a bit extreme.”

“What is extreme is the lack of diversity on Australian screens.”

McCredden looked at the Black man in the wheelchair, he was holding the remote control to the air conditioner. “Mate, can you turn up the cooling a bit, I’m boiling up”, he asked. He wondered if it was ok to call him mate – he’d never spoken to a person in a wheelchair before. They’d never been able to get on set. 

He obliged, turning up the cooling, and introducing himself. “I’m Matthew Porter”, extending his hand. 

Matilda interrupted. 

“As I was saying, we need an urgent diversity overhaul. And so I created a decoy so we could focus on this. Oh and this concrete block, it was the most accessible place any Australian TV set has to offer”, she said. 

“We’ve spent a solid amount of time here. It’s been productive.” 

“You. Faked. Your. Death.”, McCredden said, through his teeth. 

“I’m just a girl, standing in front of a white male Logie winning actor, asking him to think outside of his narrow lived experience for a minute.”

That line was familiar, McCredden thought. 

“Who do you have to screw around here to get a diversity quota for film?”, Matilda said cheekily, winking. 

A small Indian-Australian woman with a facial scar ran her finger down Matilda’s back, curving around to her stomach. 

“We’ve been working so hard, haven’t we Talya?”, Matilda said sweetly, picking up Nita’s hand to kiss it.  

McCredden was puzzled. Why was Matilda quoting lines from Richard Curtis movies to him?  

And why do things need to change? Home and Away has been going along just fine with an almost all-white cast since it began.

Matilda regained her composure. Be professional, she thought. This might be the only chance you have to influence the industry. 

“Those Richard Curtis films haven’t aged well”, she said. “But do you understand the reason I had to fake my own death?  Because no one was paying attention.”

Matilda handed McCredden the binder. 

“This is what we’ve been working on”, she said, 

He opened it, as the others looked on, smirking to themselves. They knew this document had the power to create solid industry change.

The document’s cover page read “Diversity plan for the Australian screen industry”.

McCredden cleared his throat. He admired Matilda’s bold decoy plot, he’ll give her that. But he couldn’t wrap his head around this.

“Is there really a need for this, Matilda?”, McCredden asked, irritated. 

“Surely we could have just had a chat at the bar after filming one night, rather than interrupting the entire filming schedule and involving everyone on set to solve your murder”. 

She drew breath. 

“I’ve been typecast as an Aboriginal actor too many times, and so have my mob”, she began. 

“Non disabled actors get accolades for playing disabled characters.

“Culturally and linguistically diverse actors only ever get minor roles.

“Women are still expected to remain looking younger than their actual age, while men never have to get Botox. 

“Hedgewig and the Angry Inch was going to be played by cisgendered man.

“And have you ever seen a newsreader with a facial scar?”

McCredden’s head was pounding – he had heard of some of these buzzwords, but switched off when the woke millennials talked about Black Lives Matter and transgender rights. 

I should I have paid more attention, he thought. It was hard to learn this tolerant terminology at his age, especially when he had so many starring roles. 

Matilda walked behind him, flipping the page to the executive summary. 

There was a list of outcomes.

There must be diversity quotas for screen actors and crew. The dominant white actor must not be the default. Each screen project will be overseen by a diversity and access team.Accessibility must be considered from the outset – everybody should be able to get on set.Actors from diverse backgrounds need not only address the discrimination they face – they are entitled to well developed, multidimensional characters.Black face and disability mimicry will be outlawed – actors who do this will need to donate $1000 of their wage to the relevant diverse community they’ve hurt.Comedians aren’t allowed to punch down in their jokes – again, there’s a $1000 fine.People with different body shapes and sizes will receive priority in casting for reality love programs. Marginalised people’s trauma is not privileged people’s entertainment.A bonus will be paid each time a person from a diverse background  has to perform emotional labour educating the privileged (budget for at least $100,000 per film)

He looked up. “I’ve been blind to this”, McCredden apologised.

“That’s an ableist slur”, Amani Yusef, the woman in the hijab, corrected him. 

“I’m going to touch base with Bradley Champion”, McCredden changed the subject, reaching in his pocket. “I’ll let him know you’re alive.

Before he dialled Bradley’s number, McCredden thought back to Maya Churchill, walking past Matilda’s dead body. Not Matilda!s body. A rubber version of her. 

“Maya Churchill. Was she in on this too?”, he asked Matilda. 

“She stepped over fake dead me. But she’s not that cold. 

“She’s been overseeing this project, she connected me with the morgue. As an older screen goddess, she wants to see better inclusion of older people on screen. She wants to be the next Bachelorette.”

McCredden sighed. Those lyrics were so pertinent now. 

I feel a bit fragile

I feel a bit low

Like I learned the right lines

But I’m on the wrong show

McCredden felt more bruised than when he’d arrived. He really hadn’t ever felt this outnumbered.

The story was continued by Stan Grant. You can see all of the Oh Matilda chapters on The Australian – with a subscription. My chapter was originally published on 1 February 2021.

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I’ve entered my eccentric grandma era – wearing a velour robe out of the house

Images: 1-3. A woman with a red face and short dark curly hair, standing near a white cart with flowers and sparkling wine in a metal bucket and wine glasses on it. She’s wearing a long light blue jacket printed with Parisian streets and motifs on it – landmarks, flowers, butterflies etc – over a long mint and lilac dress and boots. Macaron, wine and cheese and carousel brooches are pinned to the jacket. She’s smiling, looking to the camera and to the side. 4. A selfie of the woman smiling in the sun, close ups of the brooches. 5. Carly and Candice at high tea.

I have entered my eccentric grandma pyjama era and bought a velour robe, meant for wearing inside the house, to wear outside the house.

I had it tailored to better fit me (and make it look more like a jacket) – darts at the back, the sleeves cuffed and a button at the front.

I just love this print – it’s Parisian streets – and thought it was too beautiful to only wear inside the house. I pinned on a few Parisian themed brooches to give it a 3D effect – a box of macarons, cheese and wine and a carousel horse.

A few years ago I’d worry people would snigger at me wearing a dressing gown to high tea. But dressing like a rainbow, choosing comfortable clothing and the supportive communities I’ve built online and IRL meant that I’m not worried anymore. I got many compliments, and people were intrigued when I said it was a dressing gown.

Honestly, if you see a piece of clothing that you love, but you worry it’s a little too quirky, try it on anyway. If it makes you feel fucking fabulous, and you can afford to buy it, get it. There aren’t any rules – you can wear anything you want at any time of the day.

(The velour robe is from Blue Illusion. These pics are from last weekend.)

Face equality is feeling fucking fabulous (and how you can be an ally beyond Face Equality Week)

That’s a wrap for Face Equality Week! And here’s a few more thoughts from me:

Face equality is feeling fucking fabulous.

Face equality is wearing clothes that make me feel and look good.

Fave equality is actively participating in photos, without using filters to change my appearance.

There’s an assumption that when you have a facial difference, skin condition or disability, you don’t want to look good. People without facial difference think, why would someone like me make the effort when I will most likely hide away, get stared at for the wrong reasons, or feel ashamed about my face? Their expectations of me and others with facial differences and skin conditions are low.

But here’s the thing:

We can have pride, positive self esteem and body love when we look different. We can have body neutrality too – that is, feeling ambivalent about our appearance.

We can want to feel and look sexy or powerful or attention grabbing – and we can enact all of these things through what we wear and how we show up every day.

These feelings and actions demonstrate that this is me, I will not hide. We will not hide.

Images: several images of me, a woman with a red face, short dark curly hair tied back, wearing a dark purple velvet suit over a red floral blouse. She’s in a fancy house – on a staircase under a chandelier; on a chair, near a door, near a statute mimicking the statue’s pose – pulling an arrow. She’s happy, smiling, confident.

I wore a purple velvet suit to a work do the other night, and I got so many compliments. I felt fucking fabulous. It was comfortable, made me look tall and feel amazing.

I saw Quant at the cinema today. At the end of the documentary, there was a quote by Mary Quant. “Fashion is not frivolous. It’s a part of being alive today.” Truth.

Face Equality Week is over now. But please don’t forget the concept of Face Equality all year round.

Question the media you see – when people with facial differences are portrayed as the villain, or overly medicalised or pitied.

Look at who’s not on screen, or at Fashion Week, or in advertising.

Question why an artist wears a mask depicting facial difference to make people laugh and gasp in fright; and remember that when they take off their mask after the performance, they won’t endure the daily stares, ridicule and fear that I do.

Call it all out.

Teach your kids not to be scared of people with facial differences.

Make space for authentic representation.

Write complaint letters in solidarity.

Follow orgs like @faceequalityint and @changingfacesuk. Check out Face Equality International’s website.

See us, accept us, love us, don’t look away.

Face equality is community and connection

It’s Face Equality Week, the theme is “we will not hide”.

Face equality is being visible for other people with facial differences, skin conditions and disabilities; and being available for them and their families and friends.

I know it’s not my job to be a teaching moment all the time. But I do believe that my job is to be there for people with facial differences and skin conditions and disability, and their families.

Today I met Sarah and her tiny little baby L. L is two months old. Late last year, Sarah sent me a message on Instagram, saying her pre natal tests showed that her unborn baby has ichthyosis. She knew nothing about the condition and wanted to be prepared to give her son the best

This is amazing allyship.

I messaged Sarah back, congratulating her, sending her info about dermatology clinics. support group links and some reassurance that it will be hard, but it will be ok. I asked her and her partner to promise not to feel guilty about passing on a genetic condition. I encouraged her to connect with other people with ichthyosis.

Two months ago her little one was born. She sent me some photos. Today we met. He’s doing great, and so is she. I had the most beautiful cuddle. He’s such a gorgeous boy.

Sarah told me today that she wanted to find a real person with ichthyosis in Melbourne to talk to, and that she didn’t expect me to reply. She said that my reply was so lovely and helpful during a hard time. She bought my book and joined support groups.

We are both so glad we met. I know we will have a long friendship.

I’ve grappled with claiming the term “social media influencer” for a while now. But I feel that I can influence community in this way, by giving them hope and advice. What a privilege this job is.

We didn’t get a photo as we didn’t stop talking (and then shopping), but we will next time.

I will not hide because I want other people in the facial difference community to feel seen and connected, especially the rare ones.

Image: a woman with a red face, short dark curly hair tied back, wearing a grey green jacket over a geometric print blue, orange & grey green dress. She’s smiling standing near a brick wall.

Find out more about Face Equality International

Face Equality Week – graphics by Elizabeth Russo

I love this little graphic series about Face Equality Week, created by Elizabeth Russo. It’s a great resource for allies, and also for people with facial differences who might be looking for community, connection and validation of their experiences.

Elizabeth told me: “I like learning about face equality and making this is an easy, fun and approachable way to tell my friends about it. ”

Find Elizabeth’s art at @erussoart and more about Face Equality at
@faceequalityint and @changingfacesuk

Please also follow people with facial differences on instagram – people like: @katiepiper_ @crystaltheactress @adam_pearson_tv @turiapitt @nikkililly_ @arielhenley @jonolanc @thetravelin_chick @lyricallydiverse @phyllidaswift @burnedbeauty2018 @be_yourself_dylan @coffeewithbelindadownes @melissablake81 @athollmills @faceitmama @robert_rhodes160 @tulsidivine108 @bellspalsybritt @raichemederick_ @ploker1981 @tinaraj46 @misssorasol @iamjrmartinez @brookhoury and more

Image descriptions from Elizabeth Russo:
Slide 1: Title Card
Note: Gale, a preteen/teen girl, narrates these illustrations and slides.
My friends and I all have facial differences. Six of my friends are using their arms to create a heart and I, Gale, am in the middle holding a sign that says “It’s Face Equality Week! #WeWillNotHide.”

Side 2:
Text: What is Face Equality? Well, my definition is that it’s basically about ditching outdated stereotypes so all faces can be seen equally and not evilly.

I drew myself talking in the corner and on the bottom I taped flowers and pictures of my friends. From left to right, it’s Amy, Aynaz, Jen, and Jill.

Side 3:
Text: There are a lot of negative assumptions connected with facial differences, like being unable to communicate, immoral, evil, lonely, isolated, pitiful, unloved, dangerous, prayed over to be saved, OR seen as a source of inspiration because we’re just SO courageous and heroic for just existing, and the only thing imperfect about us is our difference.

Below, I illustrated myself with devil horns on a flaming background and an angel flying through the clouds, and in the corner, the sun wearing sunglasses.

Side 4:
Text: Here are two ways to challenge these prejudices: The first way is to read books written by people with facial differences.

The books listed are:
-Face It by James Partridge
-Ugly by Robert Hoge
-Autobiography of a Face by Lucy Grealy
-A Face for Picasso by Ariel Henley
-Running from the Mirror by Howard Shulman
-Full of Heart by J. R. Martinez
-Say Hello by Carly Findlay
-Beautiful by Katie Piper

Slide 5:
Text: The second way is to follow social media accounts created by people with facial differences.

I listed Changing Faces and Face Equality International. On the bottom, I taped photos of my favorite people to follow on instagram. They are: Nicky Lilly because I love her style, and she’s the first influencer I’ve seen with a facial difference. Brooklinn Khoury because she is SO COOL for being a skater girl. Ariel Henley because I LOVE everything she writes! Sora Iriye because she’s also Asian American like me. It’s been very hard to find women of color with facial differences, so I was pretty excited when I found Sora!

Slide 6:
Someone asks me, “Heyyy, how do I talk to someone like you?” And I’m like, “As in talking to a girl???” I mean you should not ask intrusive questions like: What’s wrong with you? Or What happened to you? Also, you should not stare and be a weirdo because that’s EW. BUT you should ask about my favorite books! They are Joy Luck Club, A Face for Picasso, and the Court of Thorns and Roses series. Furthermore, you should make eye contact or look between my eyes, it has the same effect. Lastly, PLEASE act like you usually would with anyone else.

Slide 7:
But enough about that stuff. More about ME! I like reading, drawing, and strawberries. Below, I drew two books: Jane Eyre and The Facemaker, and I also showed off one of the drawings I was proud of. It’s Astra, my original character. She has plexiform neurofibromas like me, wearing a dress made out of stars, AND she just so happens to be HIGH Lady Fae of the Twilight Court! Below that, I drew my friends and their hobbies. Jill likes to hike. Amy likes playing Zelda Games. Maria enjoys writing. April loves roller skating.

Side 8:
Jen performs traditional Mexican folk dancing. Jen is wearing a red Jalisco outfit decked out in colorful ribbons while she is dancing. And Aynaz likes taking pics for the gram. Below, I show a group photo of all 7 of us that Aynaz just took.

Slide 9:
On Aynaz’s phone, she posts our group photo to the gram and the caption says, “It’s surprisingly a nice day for once! #WeWillNotHide.”
Text: Want to learn more? Visit: Face Equality International

(Images and IDs shared with Elizabeth’s permission.)

Face Equality Week: I will not hide, despite the hate speech.

Content warning: ableism, hate speech, suicide reference

Image: a woman with a red face, short dark curly hair tied back, wearing a black dress with red and purple hearts on it, and a red and green tulip brooch. She’s smiling: text on the photo reads: “this video contains examples of ableism, hate speech and a suicide reference”.

It’s Face Equality Week, led by Face Equality International. The theme is “we will not hide”.

This video lists some of the many ableism things that people have said or written to or about me. And I know countless people with facial differences, skin conditions and disabilities who’ve endured the same. It’s horrific but not uncommon. And still, we are often disbelieved. And there is no penalty for hate speech, despite the enormous impact.

Video: a woman with a red face and short dark curly hair, tied back, wearing a black dress with red and purple hearts on it, and a red and green tulip brooch. She’s talking to the camera. There are captions on the screen

Last October I gave a testimony to the Disability Royal Commisison, about abuse in public spaces (online and IRL). I mentioned some of the statements I’ve repeated in the video. This is an excerpt from my statement, which specifically talks about why I sometimes choose to hide.

“The main impact on me of all these experiences is absolute exhaustion. Even though I write and speak about issues of disability rights and facial difference, responding to questions and comments from strangers on the street, or online, is so tiring. In my experience, society expects disabled people and people with a facial difference to educate others constantly.

Moreover, every time I receive a look, a laugh, a stare, or an abusive comment or question, my exhaustion is compounded. I don’t think people quite comprehend that living with a facial difference is my every day, and dealing with everyone’s reaction to it is also my every day. The more it happens, the more it wears me down.

Sometimes, I cannot bring myself to go out in public or do certain things, in order to avoid the inevitable reaction. For example, I will position my chair facing a wall in a restaurant, instead of facing the diners. I also generally try to avoid places where I think there may be drunk people. People who have been drinking are often difficult to be around, as they do not seem able to hold back their comments or questions. Consequently, I often decide not to attend events such a music gigs or festivals, as I know these are places where there may be people who are drinking. This makes me quite sad, as music is a great passion of mine.

In general, however, I try my best not to let the ongoing abuse get to me in a way that will limit me living my full life. It is not always possible, but it is what I work towards.”

A news clip about my DRC hearing is here

Video: a news story on ABC. It starts off with the newsreader introducing the story, and then featured Carly Findlay talking at the Disability Royal Commission, a representative from Twitter and then the esafety Commissioner, Carly scrolling through social media and walking in the office wearing a mask, and a journalist reporting.

Read my whole Disability Royal Commission statement.
Find out more about Face Equality Week.

Face Equality Week: incidental representation on The Cook Up with Adam Liaw on SBS Food

This week is Face Equality Week, led by Face Equality International. The theme is “We Will Not Hide”. (It is also Ichthyosis Awareness Month!)

Image: Carly Findlay cooking on a TV set kitchen with Nelly Robinson and Adam Liaw. Photo by Kitti Gould

Something I talk about a lot is the need for authentic representation in media. I wholeheartedly encourage news outlets to employ people people with facial differences to write articles and speak on TV about facial difference and the issues that impact us, rather than seeking comment from people without lived experience. Nothing about us without us. And I also call for incidental representation. 

While I’m grateful for news programs for inviting me to speak, often it’s only for a short time, and usually the  only topic I get to speak about is disability and facial difference. And I want to speak about so much more. Fandom, fashion, social affairs, food, books  – I want to showcase my talent and interest areas. This is the case for many people with facial differences (and disabled people). 

And in fictional media – like TV dramas and films – the character with the facial difference or disability almost always needs to provide a backstory about how they *became* disabled, and their storyline centres around disability being a tragedy. 

Incidental representation, and inclusion, is where we are in the media, writing and speaking about, or doing what we love – aside from focusing on our facial differences and disability. 

Because this shows people watching and reading what’s possible. That we can lead ordinary and extraordinary lives, and that we don’t have to hide. 

I was thrilled that The Cook Up with Adam Liaw on SBS Food invited me to film four episodes last year, after I tweeted my interest in the show. I love cooking, I love doing media, and I love eating and talking about food. This was a dream come true – and it incidentally included facial difference and disability in the episodes. Thank you Adam, Kathryn, Kate, Ashlee, Farah and the whole Cook Up team for making it the best day on set. 

Here’s me making a giant pancake with Adam Liaw and Nelly Robinson. Cooking in a very public way, on one of my favourite TV shows.

I will not hide.

My episodes with Chef Nelly Robinson are on SBS on Demand, and the recipes are on the SBS Food website.

#FaceEquality 

#WeWillNotHide

Video: Carly Findlay cooking with Adam Liaw in in a TV studio kitchen. Carly is making a giant pancake in a fry pan, the batter is sizzling.  Carly and Adam  are talking, and then Chef Nelly Robinson comes over to look and talk. There are captions on the top of the video. Carly is a woman with a red face, short dark curly hair, wearing a striped vest over a purple shirt. Adam is an Asian man, and Nelly is an English man. 

Face Equality Week – letting my redness shine

CW: internalised ableism & body shaming

Today marks the start of Face Equality Week. This year’s campaign is titled “We Will Not Hide”, because visibility for people with facial differences reduces stigma.

Hiding can take form in many ways for people with facial differences and akin conditions. It can be not going outside; using filters on social media to edit out scars or change skin colour in photos of us; not having our photos taken; strategically positioning ourselves in public spaces to avoid receiving stares and comments; covering up with clothes or makeup; and so on. I’ve done a few of these things on that list through my life.

Image: a woman with a red face, short dark curly hair tied back, wearing a pink dress, sitting on a chair. She’s smiling. Behind her is a large wooden sideboard with drinks in it and ornaments on it, and a bookshelf.

While I don’t use social media filters, I do tend to let the redness in my face calm down after a shower, before I see people – and this is a form of hiding..

I sometimes worry that being more inflamed will scare people and attract more comments.

This afternoon I needed to do some filming, but I wanted to shower first so I’d be more comfortable. There was little time to rest after the shower, and so my face was redder than it would usually be for a project like this. And I was wearing pink, which often increases the redness (Years ago, a guy told me I should wear all grey so I don’t draw any more attention to my face. I took that as gospel for a while). I worried about the ointment splotches on my dress and the skin flakes on the floor. (And I thought my dress made me look bigger than I am.) I feared all of this would be off putting for those I worked with and the viewers of the video.

Being public about my internalised ableism is a big step, too. Yes I’m very publicly body positive, but there are some things I don’t let people see.

So here I am, quite a lot redder than I usually let people see me – both for an upcoming video campaign, and on my socials. It feels ok, the world hasn’t ended. None of what I feared came true. Everyone was lovely. And this video I was filmed for will contribute to authentic representation.

For more info on Face Equality Week, check out @faceequalityint on Instagram, and FaceEqualityInternational.org.

Face Equality Week 2023 – We Will Not Hide

I’m an ambassador for Face Equality International. Face Equality International is an alliance of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), charities and support groups which are working at national, regional or international levels to promote the campaign for ‘face equality’.

This year’s Face Equality Week is 15-19 May; and the theme is Counteracting Stigma with the We Will Not Hide Campaign.

Here’s my video talking about why I will not hide.

Video: a woman with a red face and short dark curly hair tied back, wearing a colourful floral dress. She’s sitting at a table, talking. A vase of crochet flowers is next to her. The video has captions on it.

Our voices deserve to be heard and our faces deserve to be seen. It’s time for the world to listen, to see us, to no longer hide us from sight.

Watch and share this video (and the other videos by people with facial differences on @faceequalityint), and check out FaceEqualityInternational.org to find out more information and to see how you can get involved.