‘A video published by the UK government Home Office suggests that insulting someone’s appearance now constitutes a “hate crime,” despite this not being the law.
The clip features several people who are facially disfigured, including some with skin conditions and birthmarks. It also features a bald woman who doesn’t appear to have any facial disfigurement.
“No one should be abused and insulted because of the way they look. If you are – it’s a hate crime,” states the tweet.
The actual law suggests otherwise.
In the UK, a “hate crime” is defined as any criminal offense “based on a person’s disability or perceived disability; race or perceived race; or religion or perceived religion; or sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation or transgender identity or perceived transgender identity.”
While one of the individuals in the video is so severely disfigured that he might be considered disabled, the other people featured are clearly not disabled.
Calling someone “ugly” is not a crime and being ugly is not a disability, so the Home Office is completely inaccurate in claiming insulting someone “because of the way they look” is a hate crime.’
Read more: UK Government Says Insulting Someone’s Appearance is Now a Hate Crime
