Face Equality Week

Face Equality Week is a time to celebrate visible differences. The week is an opportunity for us to raise awareness of what needs to change so everyone with a visible difference or disfigurement can live the life they want to lead.  It’s simply not right that:

• One in three people say that they feel depressed, sad or anxious as a result of having a visible difference.
• Almost a quarter say they feel self-conscious or embarrassed going out in public as a result of their visible difference.

What happened during Face Equality Week 2021?

The theme for 2021 was education, which is key to helping people change their behaviour. Teaching children and young people in school to celebrate and value difference is the first step, but education goes beyond the classroom. That’s why we asked everyone to join us by:

• Sharing a video of our campaigners Ella, Rory and Natalie with ambassador Adam. In the video they talked about the things they wish people would stop doing and why.
• Getting people talking about visible difference – starting a conversation with “Did you know it’s Face Equality Week?” and using other ideas from our Face Equali-Tea Party pack (PDF).
• Sharing our new resources for trainee and qualified teachers and classroom activities and assemblies with teachers and schools. We wrote a template email (Word) to help.
• Asking your employer to sign up to our Pledge To Be Seen campaign.

Working in partnership with employers

We celebrated our Pledge To Be Seen partnerships with Avon and SleekMakeUP. Both organisations shared content across their social media channels, and Avon delivered bespoke Changing Faces training to their representatives in the UK.

We were also thrilled that IBM UK & Ireland and the Welsh Government both signed up to Pledge To Be Seen. We will be working with them to support their commitments.

Working with Face Equality International

Our campaigners Hannah and Atholl joined a Facebook Live event organised by Face Equality International, where activists from around the world discussed the topic of “Sharing your story to bring about change”.

Read the Independent’s article “Is it time to talk about face equality?”

Raising awareness

• Our Face Equality Week video was widely shared across social media, thousands viewed our film, prompting comments and conversations.
• Our campaigners got people talking about living life with a visible difference. Campaigner Peter shared his experiences with his employer and colleagues.
• We held several virtual events, including a session with George Watson College in Edinburgh, where staff, pupils and parents heard from campaigner Rory about what it’s like to live with a visible difference.
• Two of our campaigners’ stories were published in the news for the first time. Read:
  •  Emma’s story in the Metro
  • Shannon’s story in the Northern Times

Our campaigner and ambassador videos

Changing Faces campaigner Natalie shares her experience of living with vitiligo and the stares she receives as a result.

Adam, a Changing Faces ambassador, talks about the abuse he receives on social media because of his visual difference.

Ella is a Changing Faces campaigner. She explains the value of encouragement from fellow runners and how it’s refreshing that her appearance is not the topic of conversation.

Changing Faces campaigner Rory, who has a facial birthmark, talks about the questions and hurtful comments he often receives.

Thank you for getting involved and helping our campaigners to get more people talking about visible differences and disfigurements during Face Equality Week.