Show Notes
Welcome back to Appearance Matters: The Podcast! In this month’s episode, Ella speaks to Dr Kerry Montgomery, who is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Appearance Research, about the STAR Project. Kerry’s work explores how people with conditions that affect appearance and that can be passed on to their children make decisions about starting a family. They talk about research Kerry has carried out with prospective parents who have visible differences and genetic counsellors.
Please be aware that this episode contains discussion of pregnancy, family planning, and termination, which might be sensitive for some listeners.
If you’re interested in hearing more about the Centre for Appearance conference, Appearance Matters 11 (9th – 11th of June 2026) click here: https://www.uwe.ac.uk/research/centres-and-groups/appearance/news-and-events/am-conference
Photo by Warren Umoh on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/a-chain-link-fence--qycBqByWIY?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink Music by Sian Evans & John Landau: toplinefilm.com Episode developed and produced by Ella Guest
More from Appearance Matters: The Podcast!
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What's it like growing up with a visible difference? In the second episode of our Visible Difference Matters mini-series, Professor Diana Harcourt and Dr Ella Guest talk about what it's really like to have a visible difference as a young person, and the support available to help young people navigate it.
What support is available for adults living with a visible difference? In the first episode of our Visible Difference Matters mini-series, Dr Maia Thornton and Dr Emma Waite discuss support for adults with a visible difference. This includes free, evidence-based interventions developed at the Centre for Appearance Research, from apps to podcast-based programmes.
In this month’s episode, we bring you Phyllida Swift’s Keynote speech from the Appearance Matters 11 Conference, which took place in Bristol in June 2026.
Welcome back to Appearance Matters: The Podcast.