The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation yesterday held events in Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Kaohsiung, Chiayi and Hualien County to promote equal rights for people who have been mistreated because of their looks.
One in five people in Taiwan has been called names or criticized because of their appearance, the foundation said, citing a survey.
The most common interaction, at 19.3 percent, was being given a disparaging nickname, it said.
Photograph provided by the Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation
Being ridiculed or made fun of was next at 17.3 percent, while 15.5 percent of respondents said they were often criticized by others, the foundation said.
The survey showed that 14.9 percent were looked at more often, while 5.3 percent of respondents said people would keep their distance because of their looks.
The foundation said that 1.8 percent faced unfriendly interactions on the Internet based on their looks and 7.6 percent were made fun of or given nicknames at work.
People with facial disfigurements from injury or hereditary conditions have been dismissed from their job because of how they look, it added, citing the case of Li Cheng (立丞), who was dismissed from his job at a chain store due to facial angioma.
In another case, A-guang (阿光) was denied a job because the role required frequent interactions with clients and the firm believed that A-guang’s facial neuroma would disturb them, it said.
There is antagonism aimed at people whose external features do not conform with the mainstream idea of “normal” or “beautiful,” it said, adding the public should offer people the chance to prove that external appearances have nothing to do with professional capability.
The foundation said it conducted the poll via cellphone interviews from April 6 to 10, garnering 1,123 valid responses.
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