i'm sure one day, i'll be able to see her real smile

However, LGBTQIA+ people were the only group for which the government did not accept any recommendations. There were eight recommendations specific to the LGBTQIA+ community, which included: + Removing the exemptions that allow religious schools to legally discriminate against LGBTQIA+ students and staff + Eliminating legal exemptions that allow discrimination against trans, gender-diverse and intersex people + Delivering public education campaigns to reduce stigma and discrimination against the queer community + Introducing a national ban on conversion practices + Banning unnecessary surgeries on intersex children + Improving systems to allow trans and gender-diverse people to legally change their gender without intrusive requirements A spokesperson for queer rights advocacy group, Equality Australia, Savanh Tanhchareun, said the UPR process was a chance for the government to demonstrate its commitment to LGBTQIA+ rights. "By refusing to accept any of the recommendations about LGBTIQ+ rights, the government has missed an opportunity to show it's serious about equality, safety and dignity for all Australians," he said.

while major burns and scarring can cause visible differences, it would be highly unlikely for the vast majority of self harm scars to fall into this category. this isn't to say that people with self harm scars don't experience forms of discrimination or maltreatment, or aren't made to feel bad for showing their bodies! that absolutely happens, but as someone with both self harm scars and a limb difference, i can tell you the way i'm treated for showing my scarred arms vs the way i'm treated for showing my legs are very different. it's an important topic to discuss, but it doesn't mean you are "deformed".

minor variations in appearance, such as clinodactyly (a curved finger), low-set ears or a high-arched palate, affect around 1 in 5 people and are not considered deformities/visible differences. a limb difference means a major difference in the fixed shape of a limb - for example, having severely curved, absent or shortened bones. hypermobility, mild foot abnormalities such as pes cavus, and reduced range of motion are not limb differences. while some people with these conditions might have been described with the word "deformed" or feel it resonates with them, they are not part of the group whose lifelong oppression has been perpetuated by the word "deformed", and therefore should not "reclaim" it.

this isn't about invalidating anyone or gatekeeping a word - it's about the way those with limb/facial differences are almost always mistreated and swept under the rug by the rest of the disabled community, and the very real harm that is done to our community when conversations about us and our oppression do not include us. i was really excited to see that discussion of the specific oppression focused by those with limb/facial differences has been increasing on tumblr, and the rise of terms like "deformimisia". however, once again, very few people are making any attempt to listen to us and our experiences, and the conversation is dominated by those with minor differences who wouldn't traditionally be considered "deformed". even when the conversation is literally about us, we're excluded.

* all access pass to comic con

* behind the scenes tour of the museum/historical site/zoo/etc. of your choice

* box seats at your team’s championships

* front row seats to your favorite live show

* full body treatment at a world class spa

* multi course at a five star restaurant

* masterclass with your favorite artist

* orchestra seats to the musical of your choice

* one night stay at a world class resort

* skip the line tickets at the theme park of your choice

* VIP tickets to your favorite artists’ concert

* see results