A UK charity representing those with a disfigurement or visible difference has written to broadcasters including Netflix, Disney+ and the BBC asking that Halloween favourites such as A Nightmare on Elm Street run with warnings that the films contain negative stereotypes.
Changing Faces has sent the letter as part of its I Am Not Your Villain campaign, which aims to eradicate the common trope of feared characters being portrayed as people with a scar, mark or condition that makes them look different.
“We know that Halloween can be an anxious time for those with visible differences,” said Heather Blake, the chief executive of Changing Faces. “The film industry plays a role in this by reinforcing old-fashioned and harmful stereotypes. These carry through to everyday life for those with visible differences in ways that can have a lasting impact.”
The letter, which has also been sent to Amazon’s Prime Video, Apple TV, ITV and Channel 4, comes as viewers seek horror films and broadcasters promote and resurface dozens of titles in Halloween-themed seasons.
Villainous characters – such as the Joker, facially scarred murderers Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger from the Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street franchises and Damien Thorn, the protagonist from 1970s horror film The Omen, whose birthmark on his scalp marks him out as the antichrist – are also frequently recreated in costume form by Halloween revellers.
“Harmful beliefs can be reinforced through instant access to decades of archived content without explanation of the impact,” said Blake.
The letter calls on broadcasters and streaming services to consider including text before content is played highlighting that a film contains negative portrayals of those with visible differences.
It also asks services to consider signposting support for those affected or seeking more information about the experiences of those with visible differences at the end of a film.
“Streaming platforms can help raise awareness and move the industry forward by acknowledging these film stereotypes,” said Blake. “For example, adding a caveat to content that explains that these are present and harmful to those with visible differences.”
Changing Faces launched its I Am Not Your Villain campaign in 2018 with support from the British Film Institute, which said it will no longer fund films in which villains appear with facial scarring.
