Face Equality International
IFEW

Our Mission

A clear plan of action for immediate and long-term change

Our Current Focus until 2024

FIND OUR VISION, MISSION AND VALUES HERE. 

This strategy is being launched as part of International Face Equality Week (IFEW) 2022, the theme being:  

‘Face Equality is a Human Right’

Discrimination and indignities are a daily occurrence for the facial difference community. This is a hidden community that has continued to be marginalised, abused and neglected, throughout history. To this day we do not believe the injustice experienced by this unique community has been adequately recognised or addressed by global society.  

READ THIS REPORT WHICH SUMMARISES THIS STRATEGIC FOCUS. 

Legal recognition of disfigurement is limited to disability laws. Our research indicates that existing disability-specific laws are failing the facial and visible difference community on several levels, largely due to facial differences not being universally regarded as a disability and because the barriers experienced by someone with a facial difference are often attitudinal rather than physical. 

This is why we as an Alliance are repositioning facial difference, both legally and socially, in an effort to validate the unique experiences of this particular community. Some living with a facial difference will also qualify and identify as disabled, along with any other marginalised characteristic. We believe all of these aspects are worthy of independent recognition and protections that recognise the unique prejudices experienced by individual and intersecting identities.    

It is our long-term ambition to create a space for facial difference to be recognised as an independent equality and human rights issue, because the root of the discrimination, abuse and stigma experienced by the global facial difference community must be effectively addressed.     

However, until this has been achieved, we must utilise, strengthen, and raise awareness of any existing laws that might offer protection, and so we will continue to ensure people with facial differences are aware of existing laws that may be disability-related.  

For this reason, we are launching a series of legal fact-sheets as part of IFEW 2022, to help people with facial difference to know their rights. It is our aim to break down and explain in understandable terms, the equality laws of the UK, USA, Europe and also the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  

Face equality, impossible? I think not. Liberating? Doable? Essential? I think so. None of us, on our own, can make this happen – but together we can.

James Partridge, Founder of FEI

Strategic Activities

Over the next four years we will focus on: 

RECOGNISING  

CAMPAIGNING 

VALIDATING 

AMPLIFYING 

Find out more about our current projects here. 

How to get your State to Recognise Facial Difference

Logan Zelenak is a face equality activist based in Michigan. Their recent efforts have seen them connect with their local Senator, resulting in a vote to mark face equality day in the state. Logan documents their journey and shares their personal thoughts and experiences of the process.

Read More

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    The mission of Face Equality International (FEI) is to mobilise the many groups and organisations, big and small, national and international, which support and represent people with facial differences and disfigurements and thereby to create the critical mass and solidarity needed to gain global attention for the campaign for face equality.

    About FEI

    How to get your State to Recognise Facial Difference

    Logan Zelenak is a face equality activist based in Michigan. Their recent efforts have seen them connect with their local Senator, resulting in a vote to mark face equality day in the state. Logan documents their journey and shares their personal thoughts and experiences of the process.

    Read More

    Face Equality Reading List

    A selection of books and reading material from authors with lived experience, or who have a loved one with a facial or visible difference.

    Read More

    Never to be Hidden Again

    When I didn’t want to deal with pointed fingers or questioning looks while out in public, I could just let down my shield of long hair to cover as much of it as I needed. Now that’s not an option.

    Read More
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