Tell broadcasters what you think
"If programme-makers had the courage to take the plunge and be more imaginative in terms of casting and writing characters, seeing people with unusual faces could just become a regular thing and not frightening at all. But the impact on all of us would be extraordinary."
People who contact Changing Faces tell us that there are very few positive role models for people with disfigurements on television. Current depictions of disfigurement in the media create a distorted, uninformed and negative view of disfigurement. This can influence how people are perceived and result in prejudice and discrimination.
These views are backed up a major research study from Cardiff University's School of Journalism on TV Portrayals of Disfigurement and Audience Impact. It showed that TV rarely featured people with disfigurements in everyday roles and portrayals of disfigurement on TV tended to be based on stereotypes and assumptions.
Some examples of the portrayals of people with disfigurements on television include:
- It is rare to see people with disfigurements on entertainment shows either as guests or hosts.
- No one with a disfigurement has ever read the news.
- People with facial scarring, burns, birthmarks and other conditions are often presented as nasty, tragic, reclusive or shadowy characters in drama.
- The acquisition of a disfigurement is a common device used by writers to write characters out of a series.
- Newsreaders and narrators in documentaries often use negative language and imagery when describing disfigurement. He was ‘horribly' disfigured in a car accident; she is ‘hideously' scarred. His life has been ‘ruined' by disfigurement.
- The titles of some documentaries are reminiscent of 19th century freak shows and can actually encourage viewers to view people with disfigurements as abnormal e.g. ‘The Boy with a New Head' or ‘The Woman with Half a Body'.
- When a character has a disfigurement, the music and lighting is often sombre and dark to create a sinister or tragic mood.
What Changing Faces thinks
Changing Faces believes that television and the media can play a big role in changing attitudes and breaking down prejudice around disfigurement.
Changing Faces wants to increase the visibility of people with disfigurements in everyday and public roles on television.
To do this, broadcasters need to commit to:
- Including more everyday coverage of people with disfigurements (as extras or characters in soaps, as participants on game-show, commenting on current affairs)
- Examining whether their current representations of disfigurement are based on stereotypes and assumptions about disfigurement
- Examining whether the language/tone/imagery regarding the portrayal and coverage of disfigurement is offensive/derogatory or prejudicial in any way
- Redressing imbalance, stereotyping and offensive coverage.
What can you do
Cardiff's research confirmed that people with and without disfigurements wanted to see wider, everyday representations of people with disfigurement and felt that TV could play an important educational role.
Would you like to see more people with disfigurements in everyday and public roles on television?
Do you think that current portrayals of people with disfigurements accurately reflect your life (or a friend, family member's life) or are the storylines often hackneyed and unimaginative showing little understanding of your life?
Do you find the language used by presenters, newsreaders, narrators to describe disfigurement offensive?
Are you tired of the documentaries which encourage people to assume that everyone with a disfigurement is constantly seeking a medical solution to their ‘problem'.
Tell broadcasters about our guidelines to ensure disfigurement related stories are portrayed in an informed, fair, unbiased and non-prejudicial way.
Make your voice heard and your presence known to broadcasters
- If you have a disfigurement apply to go on entertainment shows e.g. Masterchef, XFactor, Location Location Location, The Weakest Link...
- If you love acting but don't believe there will be parts for you because you have a disfigurement - don't give up on your dream. Apply to drama school, go to auditions, badger casting agencies. Changing Faces can support you with this.
- If you find a portrayal of disfigurement offensive or well thought-through write to broadcasters and let them know. In your letter it is important to include why it offended / pleased you and what you would like to see them do differently/again.
Your Comments
If you are struggling to cope and you would like to speak to someone in confidence, please call 0845 4500 275 or email info@changingfaces.org.uk. Please note, we are not able to contact anyone after they have left a message on this board.
Kathy, Kent
I was delighted that James was reading the news on Channel 5. Good for them for doing this. As such a large percentage would not switch off or change channels, I think this is a good indication that people with a facial disfigurement do not need to be regarded as persona non gratia any more, but given a chance to be seen and heard with respect. I now want to see James or someone else with a facial disfigurement reading he news at 6, 7, or 10 pm. on all channels and not just lunchtime. However this was a very good start. More please. We don't just have to have the traditionally good looking in the public eye. People, who are not in the "beautiful" category, have a lot to contribute. So lets be seeing more of them. They are not to be pitied or thought of a being "so brave" It's too patronizing.
EJ, 41, Rotterdam, Holland
Comment Hi all! i sent this to channel5: "... Hello all, i'm Eric from Holland. Last night i watched a news show called "Editie NL", and in it was an item about Channel 5 and James Partridge. Editie NL had a guest presenter for that item, a woman who suffered severe facial burns at the age of 10. she was a good presenter. i want to thank you very much for starting this, it is very good work! to be honest, i had to get used to a changed face, that's just how it is. i'm not going to be sugar-coated about that. but it only took a short period of time. and if it leads to understanding, that can only be a good thing. and that good thing is rolling along now, you people did a tremendous job! EJ ..." i will send it to the other stations too.
Linzie, 37, Kitkcaldy, Fife
I would like to debate Peter from Oxfordshire's point. Why should people who have facial differences be made to put together a video explaining why they look they way they do? Your comment 'aimed at the human race' really angered me, I AM PART OF THE HUMAN RACE - I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE FACIAL DUFFERENCES and also numerous olther health problems. Do you feel someone who is short, tall, black, white should be made to do the same thng? I really feel strongly about this. WHY SHOULD people like me who have facial differences be singled out? I bet Natasha Kaplinski or Penny Smith and other news readers wouldn't have to make a blog/video of why they have the right to present the news. So why should we? If people are ignorant enough to turn over just because the news reader looks 'different' that's their issue and a rather pathetic excuse if you ask me.
Hannah, 32, London
Fantastic idea. Good luck James!
Julie, 52, Norfolk
Comment Firstly, Victoria Wright is absolutely beautiful. I certainly wouldn't describe her as someone with a disfigurement. Beauty definitely is in the eye of the beholder and people with anything 'different' about their faces or bodies for that matter, should have the same opportunities as everyone else. How narrow minded and shallow are these people who would switch channels - they should be ashamed of themselves for even thinking about it - the majority of normal people would not have to think about it - just carry on viewing and taking the presenter as a presenter and nothing else. People obviously will think and wonder how any disfigurements occured but that is being nosey and not unkind. Good for you 'Changing Faces' - go for it - I hope you can make a difference.
Peter, 70, Oxfordshire
What a good idea to present people whose faces are not in the range we tend to expect (and why is that?). I am not comfortable with the term disfigurement but can't think of an alternative. The ideal is that anyone capable of being easily understood (and that is of prime importance) should be able to present programmes, whatever their colour, whaever their age, whatever their disfigurement. I do however wonder whether it might help people to get used to the idea if the people concerned were to put together a couple of minutes about themselves as an introductory video, aimed at portraying themselves as part of the human race, not as a race apart. I am hesitant to suggest this because it may emphasise the difference, but then I look at the number of peole who claim they would switch to another channel and wonder how to influence them. Anyway, there is an idea for debate.
