Face equality

Face equality is a social movement that seeks to normalize and de-stigmatize facial disfigurement (FD), and, by extent, lessen prejudice towards individuals with facial disfigurements.^[1] The term and corresponding movement was founded in 2008 by UK-based charity Changing Faces.^[2][3]

Face Equality Week, which Changing Faces also launched, is held annually in May.^[2] Themes for the week have included "Stop the Stare" (2022),^[4] and "We Will Not Hide" (2023). The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation in Taiwan also holds a Facial Equality Day in May.^[3][5]

Goals

Goals of face equality include:

• Normalizing and de-stigmatizing FD, therefore lessening societal pressure to hide FD^[6]
• Addressing discrimination based on FD in employment and the workplace^[6]
• Addressing stereotypes that conflate FD with villainy^[6]
• Improving representation of individuals with FD in television and film^[6]
• Addressing and preventing the censorship of individuals with FD when posting photos and videos online^[6]

Organizations

Face Equality International (FEI), founded in 2018 by James Partridge, is a coalition of "NGOs, charities, and support groups," which promote face equality.^[7][8] Groups which have joined FEI include Changing Faces (UK), the European Cleft Organisation, FACES (US), the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors (US), the Smile Foundation (South Africa), and Smile Train.^[9]