I was born with Sturge-Weber Syndrome, with a large port-wine stain birthmark covering the left side of my head and neck. Lots of extra blood vessels resulted in glaucoma and visible differences in my left eye. Growing up was a struggle, especially in a small town. My nickname from the bullies was “Two Face.” I … Read More
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Open Letter to Sir Peter Jackson and Jeff Bezos, CEO Amazon
Recruitment of Orcs Dear Sir Peter and Mr Bezos, It has been widely reported in the UK media this week (see links below) that the casting agencies working on Amazon TV’s new series based on Lord of the Rings are desperately seeking people with “flawed faces” who are “hairy, toothless, wrinkled and extremely tall and … Read More
Facial Expressions and Facial Paralysis – an excerpt from Kathleen Bogart
Kathleen Bogart, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Oregon State University. Making a first impression While facial expressions aren’t the only thing that go into a first impression, they are a pretty big element. So basing our impressions of others on their facial expressions is usually an effective strategy. However, the accuracy of impressions breaks down when … Read More
A Message from David, Star of Happy Face
“Part autobiographical coming-of-age story, part Dungeons & Dragons fuelled fable, part antitode to the Tyranny of Beauty. No makeup, no sfx, no filter. This is HAPPY FACE.” “HAPPY FACE, written by Alexandre Franchi & Joëlle Bourjolly and directed by Alexandre Franchi, is basedon autobiographical events as Alexandre grew up witnessing his single mother’s struggle with cancer. … Read More
‘Loving My Dots’ & Face Equality
Nathalia from ‘Loving My Dots’ My name is Nathalia Freitas. I’m from Brazil and I live in Los Angeles/CA. I was born with a condition called Congenital Melanocytic Nevus, or just Nevus. A large birthmark that covered 40% of the right side of my face, plus thousands of satellites all over my body. From nine … Read More
A look back on Craniofacial Awareness Month
Kara Jackman, CCA Kids Marketing & Communications Coordinator Children’s Craniofacial Association began celebrating Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness month in June! We ended the month of June as we always do, with our Annual Family and Educational Symposium. Throughout the month of July, we shared stories, images, and videos from those special four days that last … Read More
Dirty God – a Review from Two Face Equality Activists
Dirty God – the story of an acid survivor from the UK, starring burns survivor, Vicky Knight. Ryan Foan, Facing Advocacy Blogger. It’s a strange novelty to have so many positive things to say about a film that is centred around disfigurement. Historically, cinema’s treatment of this issue is shamelessly unsophisticated, often reducing people with variant … Read More
Face Equality in the Czech Republic
A look back on Face Equality week in the Czech Republic What does Be TCS do? We support everyone with a visible difference. We want to start talking about this problem aloud in order to increase the confidence in every person who looks different. So that they can live without limits and never have to … Read More
Face Equality and Unconscious Bias
Sophie Arkette Occasionally I am confronted with the question, what is it like to have a facial disfigurement? Short of the standard retort: no idea, I’ve never known anything else, I pause momentarily and begin by pointing out a few obstacles – 3rd party attitudes – that make social engagements, interactions in general, an exercise … Read More
Face Equality at Cannes Film Festival
Jennifer Wallace Director of ‘Who Do We Have Here’ As I ascended the iconic red carpet stairs at the Cannes film festival a few weeks ago, I had a thought. “Has anyone who looked like me ever walked this famed pathway before?” In all candour, I didn’t get to walk the entire red carpet. Rather … Read More
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