I have an appalling memory for faces and have long considered being tested for some sort of niche brain damage. I once walked past my significant other three times at a crowded tube station because they changed their coat. We'd only been dating two years at this point. This isn't racist either - it happens with absolutely everyone of all skin colours. I'm all about the equity in faceblindness.

I often don't recognise people out of context and lots of people tell me that they've seen me out and about in the local neighbourhood and they smile but I don't smile back. I never see them. I couldn't write reports for kids in my class if there were an influx of blonde or brunette children - they all looked alike. All children were called 'Sweetheart' until I could find something, anything, to tell them apart. Uniforms didn't thelp. Can't watch war films for much the same reason.

There's a jewish family next door with six daughters between 18 and 30 who I think are pretty much identical and interchangable but who my partner has no trouble telling apart because 'they don't look anything alike'. One of them straightened her hair the other day and I presumed she was a different person.

I guess my brain adapted to its own way of recognising people albeit flawed and useless. I used to try and keep this tragic flaw my own shameful secret, but now I just tell people. I used to get anxious when meetings people for the second or third time because I thought I was being offensive not remembering anything about how they looked - now I just fire out the buzzword neurodivergent and people accomodate me. What a time to be alive! :o)

Great article and yes, from my point of view you and Sally Lindsey do look alike. Good job brain. Good job.