Marcus, 14, had surgery to his face to correct a facial cleft and cleft palate. (Picture: Marcus Powell)

Halloween can be a really exciting and fun time of year. People having parties, getting dressed up, and eating their own body weight in sweets and treats. It can also be a great time to get together with family and friends.

As a family, we have never been big on celebrating Halloween.

If a friend had a party, we’d get involved, but I have never been trick or treating. This is because my mum has never liked the idea of knocking on people’s doors, asking for sweets.

But part of the reason we don’t get too involved during Halloween is because I look different -– I have a scar on my face from when I had surgery to correct a facial cleft and cleft palate when I was younger.




It gives you a different perspective.

I have had passing comments like ‘you won’t need a mask’, or been called Scarface, Joker and more.

We need to move away from the view that people with scars or disfigurements are scary, or evil villains.

I’m 14 now, and have learnt to deal with comments like this, but when I was younger it really hurt. I wondered, would I have to get used to this?

Seeing someone draw a scar on their face makes me question if they have ever really thought about it. Probably not. After all, they can go home and wash it off.

But I can’t just go home and wash my scars away and I wouldn’t want to – it’s part of who I am.

I will always have my scar, and I don’t want people to see me as a villain or a scary person.

I’m not a scary person, so why would adding one to your costume make you frightening?

So if your costume mimics a real-life condition, please think twice – it could cause hurt, isolation or even bullying.

Think about how someone with a visible difference might feel if they came face to face with someone who has dressed up to look evil or scary using scars like theirs.

There are around 1.3 million people in the UK living with a visible difference, just like me.

These are all real people with real feelings.

That’s why I became a champion for the charity Changing Faces – to help this change.

We need to move away from the view that people with scars or disfigurements are scary, or evil villains.

It is how movies and advertisements often portray the ‘baddie’, but when that character’s name is then used to describe you at school, it hurts.

So this Halloween, I hope you have a good time – just try to dress up as a character, not a condition.

Hopefully it will help us move away from the negative ideas and bullying around looking different.

Need support? If you have a visible difference and feel targeted or upset at Halloween, Changing Faces are there to help with emotional support. Please visit their website or call the charity’s support helpline 0345 450 0275.

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