A 35-year-old Indian-origin man in Birmingham, Amit Ghose, alleges he was refused service at a London cafe because of his appearance. Ghose has a rare genetic condition that causes facial disfigurement. According to a BBC report, Ghose described the experience as distressing, saying that everyone in the cafe was staring at him, making him feel like a “ghost”. “The person serving looked at me and said: ‘Oh, we’re not serving any more’. She turned around and walked off. But clearly, clearly they were still serving,” Ghose told the BBC. Born with Neurofibromatosis type 1, a condition that causes non-cancerous tumours to grow on nerves, Ghose has transformed his experience into a message of empowerment. He now visits schools, sharing his story to inspire children to celebrate their individuality. Another recent encounter with abuse motivated him to self-publish a children’s book, Born Different, spreading his message of acceptance and self-love. “I had a couple of individuals come over to me in a park and ask me what happened to my face, and I thought they were just being curious. But actually they started laughing, giggling, saying: ‘Oh my God, if I had a face like you I wouldn’t even come out of my house’.” After undergoing surgery to remove his left eye at age 11, Ghose was left with facial disfigurement and faced relentless bullying and hurtful comments. A particularly painful remark from a classmate before Halloween left a lasting impact, triggering a long struggle with self-acceptance. The remark led him to hide his face and feel uncomfortable showing it to others for a long time. Playing cricket at school became a turning point for Ghose, allowing him to connect with others, build friendships, and redefine his identity beyond his appearance. Through cricket, he discovered a new sense of self-worth, focusing on his skills and passion for the game rather than his looks. As an adult, Ghose continued to encounter intrusive reactions to his appearance, including incessant staring, pointing, and whispered comments from passersby. “The pointing, the tapping, the friend next to them saying ‘have you seen that guy’s face’, that is also constant,” he added. With the support of his wife, Piyali, Ghose learned to accept himself and found the courage to share his story on social media. Despite initial reservations, he launched a TikTok account in 2023, which quickly gained traction with nearly 200,000 followers and millions of likes. By sharing his experiences, Amit became more self-accepting and confident. He transitioned from a law firm job to full-time motivational speaking, prioritising helping young people. “Disability or no disability, visible difference or no visible difference, we all have insecurities, we all have things that we’re faced with, and challenges we’re faced with. I just want to give this narrative to people that if we truly celebrate who we are, accept who we are, fall in love with who we are, then we can be more confident,” he said.