It's just sad that this is an issue at all.
A violin playing teenager will probably be disparaged just as much, or someone whose family doesn't have a TV -this happened for real when I was at junior school...
I got a lot of stick because I wore glasses and for 5 years had one or other eye covered up...
None of us is the same however hard we try -the older I get the more I like those who are different and anti-conformist.
Vive la Difference! (Oops! Pardon my French!
)