They made fun of him for years, calling him "Avatar," and he turned that difference into strength.

11.08.2026 19:11

Spot: Because of her facial structure, Ebru Erdem has been subjected to bullying since childhood with terms like "Avatar," "alien," and "disabled." Instead of changing her appearance, she chose to embrace her difference. Creating awareness on social media under the identity of "Avatar Woman," Erdem states that she is satisfied with her face despite the aesthetic pressures directed at her, and she fights so that people in similar situations do not hide themselves. The young woman also said she would like to appear in the Avatar film herself.

Because her facial structure was compared to the characters in the movie "Avatar," Ebru Erdem, who has faced labels like "alien," "foreigner," and "disabled" since childhood, is fighting to break prejudices against physical differences by turning her own appearance into a tool for awareness.

"IF YOU DON'T HAVE MONEY, WE'LL GIVE IT TO YOU, GO GET YOUR FACE DONE, THEY SAY"

Erdem, who made statements about the difficult process she experienced, stated that she was subjected to bullying due to her physical appearance from childhood. Erdem explained that this process intensified especially during kindergarten and primary school, saying, "At a young age, they made fun of me calling me 'Avatar.' I was called an alien. Many people thought I was disabled. For example, when they see a different type of face, they immediately say disabled. This is not just an insult directed at me. It is an approach that also offends disabled individuals."

Erdem, who emphasized that she does not have any physical or mental problems, explained that many comments are made about her appearance on social media.

Erdem stated that some people suggest she undergo aesthetic surgery, saying, "If you have money, go get your face done. Why do you stay like this? If you don't have money, we'll give it to you, go get your face done, they say. Honestly, I read the comments in shock."

Erdem, who drew attention to the fact that such comments cannot be easily tolerated by everyone, said, "Anyone in my place really couldn't put up with this many people. There are people who can't handle this, and I say, I hope no one takes on that burden."

"I NEVER ONCE THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING MY FACE DONE"

Erdem, who emphasized that she is happy with her face and outward appearance, said that despite people's comments, she does not think about changing herself.

Erdem, who explained that there is a lot of pressure to change her face, said: "I am very happy with my face. If I were a trillionaire or a millionaire, I say I would never get my face done, but of course, people still talk. I have loved my face since birth. I was bullied a lot as a child. I still am, but I am very happy with my face and I never once thought about getting it done. I have the means; I can do it. But I don't want to go under the knife and live with a different face just because people don't like it, just because people judge it."

Erdem, who stated that despite all the negativity she has experienced, she now uses the comparison to Avatar characters in a different way, also stated that she wants to appear in the film.

Erdem said, "I wish Avatar were a Turkish production. I wish a director would come and say, I would go and act in it right away. I am calling out to Avatar's director. Please cast me in the Avatar film."

"THEY MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WASN'T HUMAN"

Erdem, who explained that the looks people gave her during her childhood also affected her, said she experienced the worst bullying during her kindergarten and primary school years.

Regarding that period, Erdem said, "Bullying is already popular now. When I was little, during kindergarten, I faced a lot of discrimination. I was subjected to strange looks. It was as if I wasn't human but something else, they looked at me that way. Those looks didn't make me feel like a human. The period I was bullied the most was childhood, kindergarten, and primary school. In primary school, children constantly made associations like 'the alien came, there's an alien in the class.'"

Erdem emphasized that she always preferred to remain "strong" against the discrimination and bullying she faced for years. Erdem, who explained that she faced discrimination and different looks during her youth and continues to do so, said, "I faced discrimination for years. I was classified for years. Honestly, I wasn't treated like a human. It was as if I were always a non-human entity. Well, now yes, I might have turned into an Avatar character and use this, but they always treated me as if I were a non-human entity. They made me feel like I wasn't human."

SHE TURNED THE BULLYING SHE EXPERIENCED INTO AN "AVATAR WOMAN" IDENTITY

Erdem, who explained that she started using her experiences for a different purpose on her social media account, stated that she also adopted the name "Avatar Woman" during this process. Regarding her story, which went from bullying to awareness work, Erdem said, "After what I experienced, I transformed this process into 'Avatar Woman.' My purpose in starting social media was to highlight people's different physical features and create a difference. Let people not be saddened by seeing their differences or experience any withdrawal. Let them show themselves to the outside as much as possible."

Erdem, who stated that her family also tried to support her during this process, said, "My family said to me, 'Many people make fun of you, many say things. Aren't you sad?' Because I wasn't sad about this situation at all. My family said if I was sad, they could solve the situation."

Erdem, who stated that her family's approach was not intended to force her to change, said, "They, by the way, were not against surgery. I said I am very happy. No matter what people say, I do not want to change my face in any way."

"I FACED THE MOST BULLYING FROM WOMEN"

Erdem, who explained that her friends supported her, but she mostly struggled alone in this process, said, "For example, my friends gave me some support. Thanks to my friends. But other than that, I didn't receive much support. I always progressed on this path by myself. They generally always tried to bring me down. But no matter what, I always tried to rise up."

Erdem, stating that she especially heard harsh words from women on social media, said, "Even though women support women, I faced the most bullying from women. I received the most backlash from women. Women should support each other and support what each other does. But I saw the exact opposite."

Emphasizing that despite everything she has been through, she is at peace with herself and loves her physical appearance, Erdem said her goal is for people in similar situations not to hide themselves and to have self-confidence.

Erdem said, "I am very happy with my life. No matter how much people lynch or talk, I am quite satisfied with my life. I love myself very much. I adore myself. I am in love with my appearance. I am extremely pleased with my appearance. I wish everyone were like me. That is what I aim for right now, and I want to raise awareness in society in this way."