‘Girl behind the face’ tackles cyber bullies
Hong Kong woman abused online because of her rare skin condition fights back in the classroom and on the rugby pitch
The world is grappling with the pervasive issue of cyberbullying, where victims, from schoolchildren to working adults, may be targeted anytime, anywhere.
“The worst part is these bullies hide behind the anonymity of the internet,” says Mui Thomas, a cyberbullying survivor and fighter.
Born with the very rare skin condition, Harlequin Ichthyosis, Thomas grows as much skin overnight as an average person does in two weeks and looks different from most others.
This gave bullies an excuse to unleash their ignorance onto her when she was about 13, both at school and, worse, online.
“I can’t describe how horrible it is when messages like, ‘you’re better off dead’ creep into your home to attack you,” says Thomas, who still has the trauma hanging over her a decade on.
She was pushed to the brink of ending her own life, but luckily brought back by love and support of her incredible parents.
Rog and Tina Thomas adopted her when she was a toddler, despite doctors warning she wouldn’t live long. They worked hard on giving their daughter – who, at 23, is believed to be the fourth oldest surviving person with her condition – a normal life with an average family.
