Love Meets Joy is a Smile Train-sponsored podcast hosted by cleft advocates Iva Ballou and Ashley Barbour. Join Ashley and Iva as they discuss their personal journeys and all things cleft lip and palate. From dating and relationships to bullying and the power of words, nothing is off-limits in this honest and empowering series.
Language is powerful and the words we choose to describe ourselves or others often contribute to the construction of our own internal narratives. While the terms used to describe clefts and other facial differences have evolved over time, there is still a lack of consensus among community members about which words are preferred and why. In addition to sharing their own thoughts about the “language of cleft”, in this episode, Ashley and Iva discuss their experiences with bullying and share advice for others who may be dealing with it.
