The New Prosthetic

How to Support People with Facial Differences - the Face Equality Week 2024 Special

[large text: How to Support People with Facial Differences - the Face Equality Week 2024 Special]

Today is the 13th of May, which means that the Face Equality Week has just started. This year's theme is “My Face is a Masterpiece” which is probably my favorite sentence ever said about having a facial difference. Huge fan, should be used way more often in my opinion.

Because of this occasion, I would like to share some thoughts about Face Equality that I think are rather entry-level, i.e. you don't need to know much to execute these, but you can still support us.

Stop the stare.

I know it's fun to stare - or so I guess, at least - but maybe you shouldn't. Next time you see someone who has a scar or who's face does not move the same way as yours, just mind your business. We can tell when you're “discreetly” looking.

Don't call us deformed. 

Knowing how the people you're trying to support actually call themselves should be an absolute first step, but most people still fail here. Most of us don't appreciate being called “deformed”. I certainly don't. Say “facial difference”, or “disfigurement” if you must. It's 2024. Leave “deformed” to medical reports from the 70s.

No more “What happened?!”s.

If you aren't a doctor, there's a high-to-100% chance that it's none of your business. It's cool that you're curious - keep it to yourself.

Stop insinuating that we are ugly.

“Support people who are ugly!” isn't very supportive. I would say, not in the slightest. Say “people who don't fit the current beauty standards” if that's what you mean. 

Or, to go with this year's theme, “people whose faces are masterpieces” : )

Use critical thinking online.

Is the reaction photo actually funny, or is it just a person with a craniofacial condition? Is the meme actually a meme, or is it just making fun of a person with a facial disfigurement? Is body-shaming suddenly hilarious to you when the person shamed has strabismus? 

If the entire punchline is “lol they have a disability xd”, it's ableism. Plain and simple.

To go with the point above - your joke is probably not funny.

We get it! You can't help telling us how "you're going to hell for laughing" (which yeah, probably) and how we remind you of the ugliest character you have ever seen. I guarantee you that we heard it, and that you are behaving like an edgy middle schooler who hasn't "found out" yet. It's boring and annoying. Also ableist, but you're aware of that already if you're saying that you're going to hell.

Stop with the goddamn trigger warnings. 

We aren't “body horror”, we aren't “gore”, we aren't something that you need to advise your viewers to use their discretion over. Every “graphic footage: child with neurofibromatosis” and “#tw burn scar” is a sign of ableism and disfiguremisia. People with facial differences deserve to be seen. Ableds can survive seeing a person without a nose.

Do a basic reading on what disfiguremisia is.

New word! And an important one. It's a brand of ableism that intersects with more or less everything, and it means discrimination and hatred of people with facial differences/disfigurements. The bullying, harassment, endless name-calling, and microaggressions are all results of disfiguremisia. The ways in which everything is harder for us isn't some unchangeable rule of how the world works, it's just an extremely prevalent type of discrimination.

Understand that we are people.

I know, revolutionary - and yet impossible for so many people to get. We can be a visual representation of evil when it's necessary, we can be a feel-good inspirational story on a morning talk-show, but not much else, it seems. In reality, we are complex, we have our own lives, we can be happy and sad and have the same exact joys and worries that you have.

Hey, artists - facial differences don't make you evil.

Title stolen from a great essay by Lise Deguire (link). When's the last time you saw a positive character with a facial difference that wasn't inspiration porn? I mean a character that's not edgy, full of angst, a murderer, or a villain. Based on what you see in the media, you'd think that having a scar renders you evil on the spot, but in reality it just makes you loathe how artists apparently think you are like. It's boring, it's overdone, it's ableism. Stop doing this, and start noticing when it's being done. Point it out if your friend is writing their new villain to be an evil burn survivor. This kind of portrayal needed to stop ages ago, but tomorrow will be a great time as well.

Before you reply with “I've never seen this” - Darth Vader, Lion King’s Scar (subtle name, great thing to teach kids!), Freddy Krueger, Voldemort, we could be here forever. You're just not paying attention.

Pay attention to where we are not included.

As discussed, there are some places where you see us all the time. But where do you not see us?

Advertisements (unless it's for a scar-removal cream, of course). Fashion shows. Magazine covers. Romance movies where we are the main character.

We deserve to see ourselves in what's around us in the same way able-bodied people do. Trying to make it seem like we don't exist - that's deliberate. 

Interact with our art.

We draw, write, sing, act in movies, we do everything. Support us in the most tangible way - leave us a nice comment, read our books, listen to our songs. Watch movies where actual people with facial differences star, not pseudoinspirational stories about how “being disfigured is ok” where they shove an able-bodied actor into a full face prosthetic just to not have an actor with a disfigurement on set.

Include us.

As this year's Face Equality Week calls for, include us. In art, in movies, in books, in your life. Show us as positive people who are valuable, who are a part of your community - I guarantee that we are in every one that's out there. The world is hostile and unwelcoming to people with facial differences - be the change, wherever you are.

I know that it is different from the usual posts I make, but I hope it was somewhat educational. I just like to use every occasion that I can to force Face Equality into people's heads. To make this at least a bit about writing to keep the blog's theme, I will say that if you want to write about us, you need to care about us in real life as well. Otherwise, it's pointless and, as representation, genuinely worthless.

Below the readmore are some links/resources that you can click to educate yourself further. A lot of them lead to Face Equality International because they have just about everything you should know. If you want to be a better ally to people with facial differences, I heavily recommend them.

#MyFaceIsAMasterpiece

mod Sasza

https://faceequalityinternational.org/the-harmful-trope-of-facial-differences-in-film-villains/

https://faceequalityinternational.org/why-i-will-not-hide/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/disability-is-diversity/202111/hidden-community-the-movement-face-equality

https://faceequalityinternational.org/facial-differences-in-the-media/

https://faceequalityinternational.org/advertising-excludes-women-with-faces-like-mine/

https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/burn-community-bookshelf

https://faceequalityinternational.org/about-fei/international-face-equality-week/

https://faceequalityinternational.org/hidden-from-view-women-with-facial-differences-in-the-media

https://www.phoenix-society.org/resources/i-dont-see-your-scars

Thanks for actually clicking the readmore

Knights of the Round Table Found Family Head

Canon

(Does this fit with historical context? No. Does this fit with the show? Maybe but unlikely. Did I have fun thinking about it? Absolutely.)

One of the first knightly shenanigans the round table boys did together when they got back to Camelot was to basically just set up in whichever rooms were closest to eachother (besides Leon, who would later regret not joining these shenanigans) and just not moving. There was so much uproar that it didn't even register as an issue, especially because Lancelot and Percival were sharing one because neither wanted to be the one to shuffle someone out of the rooms next door.

But also, none of these men were overly used to having rooms of their own, so it just turned into a common room type place? Like two rooms eventually got all the beds and thats where sleeping happens but the other room just kinda... became their own version of a home?

Because if you think about it, the commoner knights were commoners, who had a very different version of living to nobility. And I can see these guys trying to be proper nobility but hating how... isolating it is. And while they can go to the tavern every night for company, it's really far and people look at them like they're different now. So it starts out with them all congregating together after meals in one of the rooms so that they could be themselves for a little while(and Merlin, Arthur, Gwen, or Leon would join them because honestly, it was nice to just exist around eachother as equals) And thats obviously not very efficient because it was never the same room and sometimes one of them would be trying to sleep because they had an early patrol, so it was really just a matter of logic to move the beds into two rooms and have one common room, so Elyan moves his bed into Gwaine's room but eventually musical beds happens until everyone is happy with the arrangement (I always like to put Gwaine with Percival even if I'm not shipping them because their dynamic makes me happy but like, it's up to you who goes where).

Then eventually things have calmed down and the Steward is like "what... the fuck?" But in polite speak. And goes to Merlin, who everyone goes to for things regarding the Round Table people because he's the only one who understands the dynamic fully, and he goes on about how this isn't how it's supposed to be and they're going to make scandals and everything is terrible and he has to fix it. And Merlin listens to his grievances and eventually just says, real politely, "listen, I know they're unconventional, but they're knights and it's been approved by Prince Regent Arthur, but I will make sure that your worries are addressed to him." Because he's at the point where he's #TiredOfEverything. And he does bring it up to Arthur, who mulls it over for roughly 2.45 minutes and basically just says "ehhh, it isn't hurting anything and it makes them happy" and there's A Look that translates to "and I enjoy it too" so they end up just letting them and it becomes one of those things that happens in Camelot that everyone knows but now it's just a thing.

And the absolutely chaotic energy of the boys living together lends itself to some pretty baller shenanigans, but also some pretty fucking good bonding.

Masterlist of my writing (AO3)

Hey everyone! I write for a variety of fandoms, and thought I'd make a masterlist to help promote some of my work! If you like any of my stuff, let me know! I love reading comments, even though I'm bad at responding to them.

THE QUARRY:

If I Seem Dangerous, Would You Be Scared? (Dylan/Ryan) INCOMPLETE WIP

X-MEN:

We Fear That Which We Cannot Understand (Charles Xavier & Darwin)

Dialed Up To Eleven (Charles Xavier/Eric Lehnsherr)

Silk and Lace (In Black and Red) Can Drive a Man Right Off His Head (Charles Xavier/Eric Lehnsherr) INCOMPLETE WIP

DOCTOR WHO:

Would You Like To Stay For Dinner? (Would You Like To Stay Forever?) (Tenth Doctor/Martha Jones/Jack Harkness) INCOMPLETE WIP

BALDUR'S GATE 3:

Their First Night of Many (Astarion/Gale, Bloodweave)

A Quiet Evening (Astarion/Gale, Bloodweave)

You Need Not Face The Darkness Alone (Astarion & Gale, pre-slash)

DUMBGEONS AND DRAGONS (PODCAST):

Together, We Can Weather The Storm (Thia Amastacia/Flint Firebeard/Nulara Moonbrook)

The End of the End, and the Beginning of a Beginning (Thia Amastacia/Flint Firebeard/Nulara Moonbrook)

BBC MERLIN:

Just Another Monday (Merlin/Lancelot, Mercelot)

Secret Keeper (Merlin/Lancelot, Mercelot)

Guilt and Ghosts (Merlin/Lancelot, Mercelot) INCOMPLETE

Nightmares (Merlin/Lancelot/Gwaine, Merwaincelot)

Death of an Immortal (Merlin/Lancelot, Mercelot) Temporary Character Death

Camping (Gwaine & Everyone (except Arthur), Platonic, pre-slash)

LORD OF THE RINGS:

The King's Bathhouse (Éomer/Faramir, Éomer/Faramir/Aragorn)

Comfort In The Dark (Éomer/Faramir)

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON:

To Dance Beneath The Stars (Bruno Madrigal/Hiccup Haddock, slash or platonic, crossover)

ENCANTO:

To Dance Beneath The Stars (Bruno Madrigal/Hiccup Haddock, slash or platonic, crossover)

If The Sky Comes Falling Down (Bruno Madrigal & Mirabel Madrigal, platonic) INCOMPLETE

FANTASTIC BEASTS:

Pure of Heart (Newt Scamander & his creatures)

CRIMINAL MINDS:

Career Day (Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid) INCOMPLETE

Would You Be My Safe Space? (Spencer Reid & Jason Gideon, Spencer Reid & Penelope Garcia, platonic, wingfic) COMPLETE, but the first in an INCOMPLETE series

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE:

Injured...Yet Again (Peter Parker & Tony Stark & Pepper Potts)

Studying The (Actual) Civil War Sucks (Peter Parker & Tony Stark)

Under Open Skies (Perhaps We Can Heal) (Clint Barton/James "Bucky" Barnes) INCOMPLETE

ORIGINAL WORKS:

Mirror Image (poetry)

I’m so excited for this!! Maybe I’ll actually finish some of my Mercelot fics this time 😅

✨mercelot week 2025✨

✨starting MAY 25th to MAY 31st✨

FOR FANFIC WRITERS - prompts and/or themes:

Day 1: “it took you almost 4 years to fully trust me, and it took you all of one minute to stop.” + Lancelot Du Lac episode AU

Day 2: “do you not get it? we don't ever get a happy ending, we don't ever go home!” + hurt/comfort

Day 3: “whether you like it or not, i’m not giving up on you” + pre-season 4 AU

Day 4: “i will be the greatest loss of your life” + humor

Day 5: “what about me?” + the darkest hour AU

Day 6: bamf!lancelot + angst

Day 7: free day + au of your choice

there is an ao3 collection under the name which can be found here “mercelot week 2025” - if you wish to add your fics

please put the day and prompt in your summary if posting to ao3.

reminder: merlin/lancelot do not need to be the one to say the line or be the things exactly! and the + means and/or. these are mostly for inspiration alone. if you would like to just write the quote for day one, for example, and not use the au, then that's perfectly fine.

FOR GIFS/ VIDEO/ ART CREATORS - quotes and/or themes:

Day 1: “somewhere between the night we met and the day you left, there was love, so much love.” + red

Day 2: parallels + orange

Day 3: au + yellow

Day 4: “it’s strange. i felt less lonely when i didn’t know you.” + green

Day 5: song lyrics + blue

Day 6: favorite poem + purple

Day 7: free day + rainbow

rules:

must be posted on tumblr so i can reblog!

please tag your posts as #mercelotweek2025 and/or tag this account directly.

NSFW is allowed, just please tag appropriately.

have fun and enjoy yourself! this week is all about supporting each other and sharing your work!

questions, concerns, or just wanna talk? you can dm or send asks at this account or my main @bellamyblakru

Merlin fic ideas/prompts

I’ve had so many ideas for fics since getting active in the fandom, and while I’ve written pieces of things, I haven’t finished anything yet. So, I want to release some of these ideas into the wild for anyone interested to run with. If it ends up inspiring me further later, well, the more the merrier, right?

“I would not allow Merlin to be executed under any circumstances,” Arthur said. “I mean it. He could practice magic under the king’s nose, and I would still see no harm come to him.”

Uther tells Arthur to reward Merlin after he publicly saves his life again. Instead of giving him money or some other minor gift the king might recommend, Arthur decides to give him an education worthy of a noble, which carries implications.

A blizzard overwhelms Camelot while Arthur, Merlin, and the knights are on a patrol. The life-threatening weather forces them to seek refuge, and the nearest sanctuary turns out to be a magical temple. After learning Arthur’s identity the temple guardians/priestesses intend to refuse them shelter. Merlin reveals himself as Emrys to ensure their entry.

KNUCKLE KISSES

Looking for Prompts!

If anyone has writing prompts for the ship Merlin/Knights of Camelot, please share them with me! I really want to write a fic with that ship, but don’t have any ideas for the premise right now. I will be forever grateful!

Merlin fic ideas/prompts

I’ve had so many ideas for fics since getting active in the fandom, and while I’ve written pieces of things, I haven’t finished anything yet. So, I want to release some of these ideas into the wild for anyone interested to run with. If it ends up inspiring me further later, well, the more the merrier, right?

“I would not allow Merlin to be executed under any circumstances,” Arthur said. “I mean it. He could practice magic under the king’s nose, and I would still see no harm come to him.”

Uther tells Arthur to reward Merlin after he publicly saves his life again. Instead of giving him money or some other minor gift the king might recommend, Arthur decides to give him an education worthy of a noble, which carries implications.

A blizzard overwhelms Camelot while Arthur, Merlin, and the knights are on a patrol. The life-threatening weather forces them to seek refuge, and the nearest sanctuary turns out to be a magical temple. After learning Arthur’s identity the temple guardians/priestesses intend to refuse them shelter. Merlin reveals himself as Emrys to ensure their entry.

KNUCKLE KISSES

rare vent art from a few months ago

So, I've been binging Doctor Who, starting with Series 3 (okay, a bit of a weird place to start, but this is a judgment-free zone, so shh). And I have absolutely fallen in love with the Ten/Martha/Jack trio and I just have so many feelings about these three. And there are a criminal lack of fics with the three of them in a romantic/sexual relationship. So, like you do when you don't find enough of what you want to read, I'm writing it! I have like three DW fics underway at the moment and if anyone wants to talk to me about it in the comments, or just generally chat about this trio, feel free to hit me up in the comments or direct messages! I crave interactions with other fanfic writers/Doctor Who fans!