WE ARE THE FACE OF DIVERSITY:
You know, one point I've been wanting to make to the world for a while now is this one...and I want to explain it very carefully.  Maybe I'll write it as a letter to the world.  That might work.  Here goes:

Dear World:

So, so many of your inhabitants out there talk a lot about "diversity."  They say that diversity is good and important.  They say that it helps us learn more, that it makes us more educated.  They argue that knowing about other peoples, other cultures, and other points of view is good for us.  That it adds to our knowledge and to our understanding.

And you know what?  In many ways, many of the world's peeps are very much right about this.  It is important that we know as much as we can about our world and all the people in it.

But there is one thing that troubles me, world.  So often when your inhabitants speak of diversity, they just mean racial diversity and/or ethnic diversity.  They are discussing people of different skin colors and of different races and belonging to different ethnicities.  And yes, that is part of diversity.  But that is not all of it.

For we--we people with Moebius Syndrome, we people with a facial and/or physical difference--we are part of "diversity", too.  You want diversity?  We go through experiences that are very unique to us, from having to endure hostile stars to curious stares, from having to overcome physical difficulties that stand in our way to overcoming prejudice and discrimination--people assuming we are retarded or mentally handicapped when, of course, we're not.  We are different, too.  We are part of American and world "diversity", too.  Yet I have this feeling that many in America and the world, when they think of diversity, don't think of persons like us.

They should.  That needs to change.  And actually we with Moebius, we with a facial difference, we can be a small part of that change.  You parents of children with Moebius Syndrome, tell your children's teachers:  "Listen, you want to teach about diversity?  You should.  And my child is one example of it."  You people with Moebius Syndrome or with a facial difference who go out looking for a job, if it's a firm or an entity that touts its diversity, then tell the person interviewing you:  "I would add greatly to the talent and to the diversity of your staff." 

Let's make it clear:  "diversity" does have something to do--of course!--with racial and ethnic diversity.  But it's not only about that.  It's also about people like us.  And we have a lot to offer you, world...