Diabetes Looks Like Me

It’s time for #DiabetesLooksLikeMe 2024!

Once a year, on the 1st March, South Africans unite to show what diabetes looks like. Join the #DiabetesLooksLikeMe movement and post your photo with the hashtag on Friday 1st March 2024. Let’s show SA what diabetes really looks like.

South African diabetes representation

While it will be fun to see all the many faces of diabetes in South Africa on the 1st March, there’s something bigger and more important at stake here: diabetes representation.

Why does diabetes representation matter? Because we know that there are a lot of misconceptions around people with diabetes. The media often portrays us as unhealthy, eating sugar and fast food, not exercising. This is where stigma comes from. We want to join together to show that all kinds of people live with diabetes – no matter our gender, age, colour, shape, size, or any other identifier.

These are South Africans with diabetes.

#DiabetesLooksLikeMe

Educating about diabetes stigma

Most of the time, people don’t stigmatise people with diabetes on purpose. It’s more that they don’t understand the condition, and what it’s actually like to live with it.

You might want to share one of these two articles, with insights from you – our community of South Africans with Diabetes.

Is there a stigma around living with diabetes?

Let’s talk about diabetes stigma

How to support #DiabetesLooksLikeMe

You can also spread the word and help to reduce stigma with these social media posts – directly (right-click to download) or by sharing from our Instagram or Facebook profiles.

No Facebook or Twitter? Download the frame here.

What to read next?

Do you know the 5 symptoms of diabetes? Knowing the symptoms of diabetes is such important information. Once you understand what to look for, you’ll be able to share this knowledge with others.

Is there a stigma around living with diabetes? We asked our community about stigma – and you answered! Read about the lived experience of diabetes in South Africa here.

Let’s talk about diabetes stigma: This episode of our podcast explores the different kinds of stigma attached to Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.