SXSW Panel Disfigurement Discrimination
More than a third of people living with disfigurement have experienced employment discrimination. This is why our community matters and why we are heading to SXSW to make a case for it.
Since the inception of MIGA Swimwear, I have interviewed over 100 different people to understand the disability, chronic illness and disfigurement experience. The majority of the interviews have been conducted with women who have these conditions, to understand their unique views on life, on how best to live day-by-day with the uncertainty of a diagnosis, diagnosed or undiagnosed. All of these women are courageous, strong but above all resilient. And just like everyone else, they want the same as you and me. They want love, they want a job that makes them proud when they go to bed at night, they want to be respected, equally in their field and as valuable members of society. Ultimately, they want to belong.
While I have never been discriminated due to my disfigurement at a job interview (admittedly, I have never applied to be a foot model but I am pretty sure I would not get a callback), from a very young age, whether by explicit or implicit bias, I learned that my disfigurement was something I needed to hide. My disfigurement is something that brought my value, as a woman but also as a human being, into question. What was my value if something in my body didn’t look like everyone else’s? By 8th grade, I was convinced that my disfigurement was some kind of symbol that made me not cute enough, didn’t matter how much I would develop my personality. My worth would always come into play when I was barefoot. For some, my height or my short legs was enough of a tell-tale sign to label me as below average.
I used to look at myself in the mirror and think everything else looks passing as far as I keep my socks on. I did not realize, however, that giving up the freedom of being barefoot would replace one issue with another. At the beach or the pool, I would become quite socially anxious. While before I loved swimming, swimming competitively even, now I was passing the opportunity to go with my classmates on a cruise graduation trip. The thought of being barefoot 24/7 being too daunting to bare. By giving up that freedom, not only did social anxiety creep in, I started to feel the ick of dishonesty all over me. Add to that the internalized shame I felt for having a rare condition that made me “weird”. So now at the ripe age of 15 years old, I felt deceitful and fake.
There was no incentive to disclose, in fact I was encouraged by my parents not to, their protective side while well-intentioned doing more harm than good. In the years to come, I hope to become a mother and I wonder if in my parent’s position I would do anything differently. I grew up in the 90s, the psychology of appearance was not as advanced as it is today. With the advent of social media and the commodification of displaying what makes us unique, you can find communities in the far reaches of the web that celebrate your condition, no matter how rare. If I were to have been a parent in the 90s, I would probably done the same as my parents; the world was not ready for it then and yet, sometimes I wonder if it is ready for it now?
With the statistics of social media’s mental toll on appearance matters, I worry that it is not. More than a third of people living with disfigurement have experienced employment discrimination, this percentage rises to 45% among 18 to 34 year olds. No longer can we play dumb and deny that discrimination towards people who have disfigurement is real and carries economic burdens to the members of this community and to society, overall. That’s why Ariel, Nathalia and I will be giving a panel at SXSW on the disfigurement experience this year. We are hopeful that in a year when the world opens up, it will be a world much more conscious about the health inequalities in this country.
Let’s make this upcoming opening, the mask-free-year, a year where people that have burn scars, cleft palates or psoriasis will no longer have to hide AND will not have to experience employment discrimination. As a society, I am optimistic that we now understand that the health of many is the health of all. That we have come to terms with our mortality somewhat and that as a result, we will become more humane towards those that are not part of our silo. No longer can we be ignorant of the experience of the other, we need protection and we need society to care, do you care? If you do, please help us signing the following petition.
Comments
You dont have to panic about the whereabout of your stolen cryptocurrency as HACK TECH RECOVERY AGENCY have special trained hackers and cyber experts that have solutions to any problem involving recovery of cryptocurrency and its kinds. These recovery experts I’m about to introduce you to are one of the best when it comes to crypto asset recovery.I introduced two of my friends who were victims of crypto frauds and they were able to help them recover $462,000 worth of bitcoin successfully . All you need to do is to reach out to these experts. THE HACK TECHS RECOVERY AGENCY- through any of the available means in order to get your stolen assets recovered Kindly contact them via their email : Thehacktechs@gmail.com or via whatsapp at +1(283) 218-7069
This article is for crypto scam victims,Ignore if you are not affected.Regards
HOW TO RECOVER SCAMMED CRYPTO? CONTACT MAESTRO ENCRYPTER FINANCIER
As a Canadian citizen living and working in the USA, my life took an unexpected turn in 2019 when I embarked on a contract job with a construction company. At the age of 28, I was optimistic about the opportunities that lay ahead, but little did I know that a dark cloud was looming on the horizon. My descent into the depths of despair began with a devastating blow to my financial well-being. A crypto investment, which I had hoped would secure my future, crumbled before my eyes, leaving me reeling from the staggering loss. The culprit? The Covid deflation, they said. It was a harsh reality to swallow, and I found myself plunged into a pit of despair. In my quest to reclaim what was rightfully mine, I turned to countless crypto recovery experts, each promising salvation but delivering only disappointment. Despite their assurances, my efforts proved futile, and I found myself sinking deeper into debt with each failed attempt. The weight of my losses, totaling over 10.065221 BTC and exceeding USD 250,000, threatened to crush me under its crushing burden. The toll it took on my mental health was immeasurable. Depression and anxiety became constant companions, casting a shadow over every aspect of my life. It seemed as though there was no escape from the relentless cycle of despair and desperation. But just when I thought all hope was lost, a ray of light pierced through the darkness. Maestro Encrypter Financier emerged as a beacon of hope in my darkest hour, offering a glimmer of possibility where none seemed to exist. With nothing left to lose, I reached out to them, clinging to the fragile hope that they could offer me a lifeline. To my astonishment and relief, Maestro Encrypter Financier responded swiftly to my plea for help. Their urgency and professionalism were a stark contrast to the empty promises of others, instilling me with a newfound sense of hope and optimism. With their expertise and determination, they embarked on a mission to track down the swindlers who had robbed me of my hard-earned funds. What followed was nothing short of miraculous. Maestro Encrypter Financier worked tirelessly to dismantle the scammer’s private wallet, leaving no stone unturned in their pursuit of justice. Their relentless pursuit of my stolen assets culminated in a triumphant victory, as they successfully recovered what was rightfully mine. I cannot express the depth of my gratitude to Maestro Encrypter Financier for their unwavering support and unwavering commitment to justice. They not only helped me reclaim my lost funds but also restored my faith in humanity. In a world fraught with deception and betrayal, they are a shining example of integrity and compassion. I endorse Maestro Encrypter Financier to anyone who finds themselves victimized by crypto scams. Their professionalism, expertise, and unwavering dedication make them a beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape. WhatsApp number +14722038937
Email: maestroencrypter @ financier . com
FRAUD FIGHTER HACKERS, HOW CAN I RECOVER STOLEN CRYPTO?
I had no idea about Crypto recovery services and was rather ignorant about them after falling victim to a fraudulent investment scheme. But thanks to the support and advice of the FRAUD FIGHTER HACKERS recovery team, I am now certain that any lost money may be found. I filed my lawsuit through FRAUD FIGHTER HACKERS’ website [https://fraudfighterhacker.wixsite.com/fraud-fighter-hacker] as soon as I learned about them. The team’s professionalism and honesty during the entire recovery procedure, which ended with the return of all my missing funds, truly put me at ease. I cannot express how grateful I am for that. I would not hesitate to suggest your services to other victims who may have also fallen victim to scams.
E-mail: fraudfighterhackers@gmail.com