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Woman with alopecia hopes trolls listen to her Ted Talk | Woman with alopecia hopes trolls listen to her Ted Talk |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Laura Mathias says people are "bombarded" by images showing how people "should" look | Laura Mathias says people are "bombarded" by images showing how people "should" look |
A woman who spent 17 years hiding her hair loss said she hoped her online Ted Talk would help social media trolls realise the hurt their words caused. | A woman who spent 17 years hiding her hair loss said she hoped her online Ted Talk would help social media trolls realise the hurt their words caused. |
Laura Mathias, from Manningtree, Essex, said people were "bombarded" with images of what society believed they should look like. | Laura Mathias, from Manningtree, Essex, said people were "bombarded" with images of what society believed they should look like. |
Ms Mathias, who has alopecia, told of her pride at being a bald woman during her own Ted Talk in London. | Ms Mathias, who has alopecia, told of her pride at being a bald woman during her own Ted Talk in London. |
"I hope it reaches the people whose words made me feel awful," she said. | "I hope it reaches the people whose words made me feel awful," she said. |
Ted Talks are recorded public-speaking presentations originally given at Ted (technology, entertainment and design) events. | Ted Talks are recorded public-speaking presentations originally given at Ted (technology, entertainment and design) events. |
The 33-year-old said she was "terrified" ahead of her speech, published online to 40 million subscribers of TedX Talks' YouTube channel. | The 33-year-old said she was "terrified" ahead of her speech, published online to 40 million subscribers of TedX Talks' YouTube channel. |
The 33-year-old kept her alopecia diagnosis a secret for 17 years | The 33-year-old kept her alopecia diagnosis a secret for 17 years |
She told the audience: "Every day we're bombarded with images of aesthetically appealing humans on our screens in print media. | She told the audience: "Every day we're bombarded with images of aesthetically appealing humans on our screens in print media. |
"These images of slim, smooth, able-bodied and appropriately hairy humans that have been mere annoyances to me growing up as a chubby kid became an actual torment to me at the age of 13 when my hair started falling out in clumps. | "These images of slim, smooth, able-bodied and appropriately hairy humans that have been mere annoyances to me growing up as a chubby kid became an actual torment to me at the age of 13 when my hair started falling out in clumps. |
"Movies make me a villain, a tragic ill kid or sometimes an inhuman creature." | "Movies make me a villain, a tragic ill kid or sometimes an inhuman creature." |
'I don't need to be fixed' | 'I don't need to be fixed' |
Ms Mathias was diagnosed with the autoimmune condition by a doctor who said it was triggered by stress. | |
She kept her hair loss a secret for 17 years but, during the pandemic, found the confidence to leave home without her wig. | She kept her hair loss a secret for 17 years but, during the pandemic, found the confidence to leave home without her wig. |
Ms Mathias has ditched her wigs and bandanas more in public now that more awareness of the condition has been raised | Ms Mathias has ditched her wigs and bandanas more in public now that more awareness of the condition has been raised |
"I don't need to be fixed; it's a problem in society that we judge people how they look rather than who they are as a person," Ms Mathias told the BBC. | "I don't need to be fixed; it's a problem in society that we judge people how they look rather than who they are as a person," Ms Mathias told the BBC. |
She said during the time she had spent campaigning on behalf of people with visible disabilities, she had "never done something as formal as this". | She said during the time she had spent campaigning on behalf of people with visible disabilities, she had "never done something as formal as this". |
"Every single time I speak about my visible disability and my hair loss I hope I can be changing the experience of another person who felt how I did," she added. | "Every single time I speak about my visible disability and my hair loss I hope I can be changing the experience of another person who felt how I did," she added. |
"I don't expect people to rip off their wig, but this Ted Talk is one piece of representation I didn't have as a 13-year-old." | "I don't expect people to rip off their wig, but this Ted Talk is one piece of representation I didn't have as a 13-year-old." |
Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830 | Got a story? Email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp 0800 169 1830 |
Related Topics | Related Topics |
Alopecia | Alopecia |
Manningtree | Manningtree |
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