Melissa Blake slams haters after 'nasty comments' on her selfie: 'I like my face'

Blogger Melissa Blake is clapping back after receiving hateful comments targeting her appearance.

On Monday, the 41-year-old advocate shared a selfie on Instagram with three screenshots of comments pasted onto the photo.

"You're completely and utterly hideous," one of the hate comments read.

"I use your picture to scare my kids when they misbehave," the bottom one claimed.

Blake said this was just a sample of "nasty comments" she has received in the past week alone.

"I’ve learned to just delete and block, but it was Face Equality Week last week, so we need to talk about a few things, y’all," the U.S.-based writer said.

Face Equality Week, marked May 15-19, was first initiated by a group of NGOs with a goal to "smash the myths about visible difference."

According to the Face Equality International website, "discrimination and indignities are a daily occurrence for the facial difference community."

The group said it doesn't believe "the injustice experienced by this unique community has been adequately recognised or addressed by global society."

Advocate Blake said in her post there shouldn't even be a need to mark that week.

"I really wish we didn’t need something like Face Equality Week in the first place," she penned.

"How is it that we are living in the year 2023 and society needs a literal reminder that people with facial differences are worthy human beings? They’re not ugly or disgusting or deserving of ridicule."

Blake added this is why she continues to speak up.

"This is why I’m writing an entire book about disabilities. This is why I constantly push back against toxic beauty standards."

The selfie in the post was taken at a hospital, after Blake had a mammogram done, she explained in the caption.

"I really like how it came out. I like my smile. I like the way my red hair is shimmering in the sun. And guess what?," she continued in all-caps, "I like my face."

The post, which gained more than 24,000 likes, was met with praise from her supporters — including some celebrities.

"You have one of the cutest faces I've ever seen," commented American actress Kristen Bell. "That’s a fact."

Well-known journalist Katie Couric also chimed in to say, "I love your face."

Hundreds of other fans said Blake was an inspiration.

"The things they're telling you are actually a description of how they truly feel about themselves," one wrote. "You're a wonderful woman, beautiful in every way and highly inspirational!"

According to Blake's blog, she was born with Freeman-Sheldon Syndrome, which she described as "a genetic bone and muscular disorder." It affects the muscles in her face.

She said she's had "more than 26 surgeries, including surgeries on my knees, hands, hips and spine."

As for her selfies, Blake said in her latest post those aren't going anywhere.

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