Half of Adolescents with Facial Differences Experience Unfriendly Treatment; Civil Group Promotes Diverse Aesthetics
A survey by the Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation found that half of adolescents with burns, oral cancer, and facial differences have experienced unfriendly treatment due to their appearance, leading to loss of self-confidence and impacting future choices. The foundation, in collaboration with 5% Design Action, is developing elementary school teaching materials to promote diverse aesthetics and deepen societal understanding of appearance differences.
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- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 19:30
- 🔍 Collected: May 13, 2026 at 20:02 (32 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 14, 2026 at 01:01 (4h 58m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Tseng Yi-ning, Taipei, May 13) A survey conducted by the Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation among adolescents receiving services for burns, oral cancer, and facial differences found that 50% have experienced unfriendly treatment due to their appearance. Even though most choose not to retaliate, this still leads to a loss of self-confidence and can even affect their future choices.
The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation conducted the "2026 Survey on Appearance-Related Experiences of Individuals with Different Appearances" from December last year to March this year, targeting service recipients with burns, oral cancer, and facial differences, and announced the survey results today.
Zhuang Li-zhen, Director of the Advocacy Department at the Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation, explained that the survey results show that among respondents aged 13 to 17, half have experienced unfriendly treatment due to their appearance; 70.0% of these incidents occurred in schools or cram schools, and 65% were from classmates or peers.
The survey revealed that among these "unfriendly treatment" experiences, uncomfortable staring accounted for the highest proportion at 50%, higher than being ridiculed for appearance (35%) and being excluded (30%). Zhuang Li-zhen pointed out that this indicates unfriendly treatment based on appearance does not always manifest as obvious verbal or physical conflict; "gaze," a silent form of "microaggression," is more aggressive than verbal ridicule but also harder to seek help for.
At the time of these experiences, the feelings brought to adolescents with facial differences were mostly helplessness and discomfort, both accounting for 45%; as for their coping mechanisms, 89.5% of the surveyed adolescents would not retaliate verbally or behaviorally, and 65% would pretend not to hear.
Zhuang Li-zhen noted that the silence of adolescents should not be interpreted as indifference, but rather that children may be evaluating the situation, avoiding conflict, protecting themselves, or not knowing how to articulate such discomfort.
Unfriendly experiences cause more than just immediate feelings. The survey found that among affected adolescents, 77.8% felt a lack of self-confidence, 77.8% felt their interpersonal relationships were affected, and 55.6% experienced social withdrawal; 25% of adolescents also stated that they would consider their appearance differences when planning their careers, such as fearing they are not good enough, worrying about others' perceptions, or fearing exclusion.
Zhuang Li-zhen pointed out that these results show that unfriendly treatment based on appearance is not just an immediate unpleasantness; if accumulated during developmental stages, it can affect how children view themselves, enter peer relationships, and whether they are willing to participate in activities, express themselves, or try new possibilities, and even impact future choices, development opportunities, and the imagination of self-realization.
The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation stated that unfriendly treatment based on appearance should not be simplified as "children joking around," nor can it be solved merely by "telling children not to mock others." What truly needs to be addressed is how children learn to view appearance diversity, how to perceive and describe differences, how to understand their curiosity, and how to learn to view every different face with an "ordinary mindset."
The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation has partnered with the 5% Design Action social design platform to jointly develop the "Aesthetic Detective" elementary school teaching plan. Yang Zhen-fu, CEO of 5% Design Action, stated that through the diverse aesthetics teaching plan, they hope to guide children to recognize their own appearance and also learn to describe and discuss appearance in a more neutral and friendly way, so that appearance differences no longer become a reason for evaluation or a source of anxiety. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150513
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(Central News Agency reporter Tseng Yi-ning, Taipei, May 13) A survey conducted by the Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation among adolescents receiving services for burns, oral cancer, and facial differences found that 50% have experienced unfriendly treatment due to their appearance. Even though most choose not to retaliate, this still leads to a loss of self-confidence and can even affect their future choices.
The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation conducted the "2026 Survey on Appearance-Related Experiences of Individuals with Different Appearances" from December last year to March this year, targeting service recipients with burns, oral cancer, and facial differences, and announced the survey results today.
Zhuang Li-zhen, Director of the Advocacy Department at the Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation, explained that the survey results show that among respondents aged 13 to 17, half have experienced unfriendly treatment due to their appearance; 70.0% of these incidents occurred in schools or cram schools, and 65% were from classmates or peers.
The survey revealed that among these "unfriendly treatment" experiences, uncomfortable staring accounted for the highest proportion at 50%, higher than being ridiculed for appearance (35%) and being excluded (30%). Zhuang Li-zhen pointed out that this indicates unfriendly treatment based on appearance does not always manifest as obvious verbal or physical conflict; "gaze," a silent form of "microaggression," is more aggressive than verbal ridicule but also harder to seek help for.
At the time of these experiences, the feelings brought to adolescents with facial differences were mostly helplessness and discomfort, both accounting for 45%; as for their coping mechanisms, 89.5% of the surveyed adolescents would not retaliate verbally or behaviorally, and 65% would pretend not to hear.
Zhuang Li-zhen noted that the silence of adolescents should not be interpreted as indifference, but rather that children may be evaluating the situation, avoiding conflict, protecting themselves, or not knowing how to articulate such discomfort.
Unfriendly experiences cause more than just immediate feelings. The survey found that among affected adolescents, 77.8% felt a lack of self-confidence, 77.8% felt their interpersonal relationships were affected, and 55.6% experienced social withdrawal; 25% of adolescents also stated that they would consider their appearance differences when planning their careers, such as fearing they are not good enough, worrying about others' perceptions, or fearing exclusion.
Zhuang Li-zhen pointed out that these results show that unfriendly treatment based on appearance is not just an immediate unpleasantness; if accumulated during developmental stages, it can affect how children view themselves, enter peer relationships, and whether they are willing to participate in activities, express themselves, or try new possibilities, and even impact future choices, development opportunities, and the imagination of self-realization.
The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation stated that unfriendly treatment based on appearance should not be simplified as "children joking around," nor can it be solved merely by "telling children not to mock others." What truly needs to be addressed is how children learn to view appearance diversity, how to perceive and describe differences, how to understand their curiosity, and how to learn to view every different face with an "ordinary mindset."
The Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation has partnered with the 5% Design Action social design platform to jointly develop the "Aesthetic Detective" elementary school teaching plan. Yang Zhen-fu, CEO of 5% Design Action, stated that through the diverse aesthetics teaching plan, they hope to guide children to recognize their own appearance and also learn to describe and discuss appearance in a more neutral and friendly way, so that appearance differences no longer become a reason for evaluation or a source of anxiety. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150513
Stand with facts, every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio-visual content on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.