Lizzie Velasquez stumbled upon a YouTube video of herself titled “the ugliest woman in the world” when she was only 17 years old. The video completely changed her life. She faced insane insults about her appearance and instead of sitting back, she decided to do something to help herself and millions of others:
At First Glance..
When you see Lizzie Velasquez for the first time, you obviously notice she’s different. How she looks is inevitably a part of that. She was born with an extremely rare genetic condition which prevents her from gaining weight.
At First Glance
Early Years
She was born Elizabeth Ann Velásquez on March 13, 1989. She was born four weeks prematurely and had a very low birthweight. She weighed only 2 pounds and 10 ounces when she was born. These days she goes by Lizzie.
Early Years
Neonatal Progeroid Syndrome
Lizzie Velasquez is one of only three people reported worldwide to have neonatal progeroid syndrome. It is a rare condition that makes it impossible for her to gain weight, causes early aging and has left her blind in one eye.
Neonatal Progeroid Syndrome
Can’t Gain Weight
Lizzie Velásquez’s condition makes her life very different than others. She is medically unable to gain weight and has never weighed more than 64 lbs. She has almost 0% body fat. She is required to eat throughout the day and averages between 5,000 and 8,000 calories. Despite this, she still is simply unable to gain weight.
Cant Gain Weight
Vision Problems
Moreover, she is blind in her right eye, which began to cloud over when she was 4. She is also is visually impaired in her left eye.
Vision Problems
A Life Of Bullying And Health Problems
Throughout her life, she experienced both bullying a number of additional health problems. She had eye surgery, ear surgery, complete foot reconstruction, bone density tests, and a number of blood tests as doctors tried to figure out what her condition was. She lacks energy, has a compromised immune system, and is currently undergoing heart scans to see if there are any other issues.
A Life Of Bullying And Health Problems
Hardtime As A Teenager
Besides the health issues, bullying became more of an issue as Lizzie grew up. She said, “When I was a teenager I would look in the mirror and wish I could wash away my syndrome.” She explained, “I hated it because it caused so much pain in my life. Being a 13-year-old girl who is constantly picked on is unbearable.”
Hardtime As A Teenager
Abby Solomon
As we mentioned, Lizzie is just one of three people with the condition. In 2015 Lizzie found another woman who had a different variant of the condition. The woman is named Abby Solomon.
Abby Solomon
Genetic Mutation
Medical professionals found both women have mutations in the FBN1 gene which is responsible for their condition. The condition is specifically called Marfanoid–progeroid–lipodystrophy syndrome or Marfan lipodystrophy syndrome.
Genetic Mutation
Lizzie Was Bullied Daily Due To Her Disease
Lizzie grew up being called names like “skinny bones,” “pork chop legs” and “grandma.” She often faced questions such as “what is wrong with your face?” and “why do you look like that?” Can you even imagine going through life this way?
She Was Bullied Daily
Bullied Daily
Lizzie, unfortunately, became accustomed to being bullied for the way she looks. She was also in and out of the hospital during much of her childhood. She credits her Mexican-American family for giving her the support and strength to rise above all the hate she experienced.
Bullied Daily
Family Support
Lizzie stated, “Growing up with that was huge for me because when I would go on holidays and just be with all of my cousins and my aunts and my uncles and everything, they just made me feel like Lizzie.” She continued to explain, “They never treated me differently. They never did anything special for me. They treated me like everyone else, and having that foundation and having that support on both sides of my family, was huge.”
Family Support
YouTube Discovery
Nonetheless, when Lizzie was only 17, she was surfing YouTube and came across a clip that changed her life forever. She was just a high school student at this time in 2006.
YouTube Discovery
“The World’s Ugliest Woman”
The clip was entitled “The World’s Ugliest Woman.” Much to her surprise, it was a video of her. She told the Huffington Post the day she found the video was a day she will “never ever forget.”
The Worlds Ugliest Woman
The Video Crushed Her
Lizzie stated, “I was crushed. You can imagine how I felt. I was confused, upset, hurt and angry — but then I read the comments.”
The Video Crushed Her
Taking Bullying To Another Level
While Lizzie sadly was accustomed to being bullied for her looks, the video and comments were extremely, extremely rude and insensitive. When Lizzie read the comments she was overwhelmed and hurt. She stated, “I sat there and read through the comments, and I was so desperate to find someone who had said something positive, but I didn’t.”
Taking Bullying To Another Level
Nasty Comments
Lizzie stated, “Some commented that I should do the world a favor and put a gun to my head, others asked why didn’t my parents abort me. One person even suggested people will go blind from looking at me because of my ugliness.” Someone else suggested her parents to “kill it with fire.”
Nasty Comments
Broken
Lizzie stated at the time she honestly felt broken. The video accumulated four million views and thousands of negative comments. She also had to discuss the video with her family which she found to be uncomfortable and embarrassing.
Broken
Mean Meme
Besides the video and its comments, a number of meme’s such as this one appeared all over the internet:
Meme
She Chose To Fight Back
Cyber-bullying is a huge problem. Many teenagers often take their own life as a result. While Lizzie was extremely hurt by the video and being labeled “The World’s Ugliest Woman,” at just 17 she did something amazing. She used this experience to become a YouTube star and motivational speaker. She is still impacting the world by sharing her story and spreading a message of body positivity and anti-bullying.
She Chose To Fight Back
She Chose To Fight The Bullies
Instead of dwelling on the video, she used this event to help others and teach her bullies a lesson. In 2006, she started her own YouTube channel to let people know there was a real person behind the “World’s Ugliest Woman” video. She now has about 460,000 subscribers to her channel.
She Chose To Fight The Bullies
Body Shaming Meme
Additionally, she fought back against the body shaming meme. She has stated in many interviews before you share a meme, remember there’s an actual person in the photo.
Body Shaming Meme
We Are All Human
In response to the meme she stated, “No matter what we look like or what size we are, at the end of the day we are all human.” She also said, “I ask that you keep that in mind the next time you see a viral meme of a random stranger. At the time you might find it hilarious but the human in the photo is probably feeling the exact opposite. Spread love not hurtful words via a screen.”
We Are All Human
She Is Using Her Voice
She stated, “I’ve seen a ton of memes like this all over @facebook recently. I’m writing this post not as someone who is a victim but as someone who is using their voice.” She continued, “Yes, it’s very late at night as I type this but I do so as a reminder that the innocent people that are being put in these memes are probably up just as late scrolling through Facebook and feeling something that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy.”
She Is Using Her Voice
How She Started To Fight Back
After she created her own YouTube channel in response to the video labeling her “The World’s Ugliest Woman,” and she began to upload her own responses. She recorded clips of herself holding cards to describe her feelings and then revealed her face at the end. This helped people around the world realize things they say online do impact real people and it is simply not ok to cyberbully.
Self Made Clips
How She Started To Fight Back
That was the launching point for Lizzie. She decided to become a motivational speaker to continue to fight back and empower those who are bullied or ashamed of how they look. She told ABC America, “I completely taught myself everything that I know about speaking via the internet and YouTube.” She said, “I studied speakers’ websites. I studied if they walked which way across the stage. If they had note cards if they had slide shows … Anything I could get my hands on, that’s what I would learn.”
How She Started To Fight Back
Motivational Speaker
After Lizzie graduated from Texas State University, she became a motivational speaker. Lizzie became an inspiring anti-bullying advocate and now shares her message all over the world. When she speaks she discusses how she was bullied during her childhood and how thankful she is that her parents and loved ones instilled in her the courage and strength to be herself. Lizzie always asks, “What defines you?” and she tells how she refused to let the perceptions of other people define her.
Motivational Speaker
Author
Lizzie then added “author” to her resume in 2010. She published an autobiography titled “Lizzie Beautiful: The Lizzie Velásquez Story.” The book urges people to accept and love themselves for who they are, not how they look. She published her second book “Be Beautiful, Be You” in 2013.
Author
How Do YOU Define Yourself
Lizzie’s career was then launched to the next level in January of 2014. She gave a TEDxAustinWomen Talk titled “How Do YOU Define Yourself.” It now has over seven million views on YouTube.
How Do YOU Define Yourself
TedTalk
In the TedTalk she clearly articulated her message, was optimistic, inspiring, and funny! She joked that due to her illness she can eat whatever she wants and that “it’s exactly as good as it sounds.”
TedTalk
Saving Lives
It is without a doubt her story and anti-bullying message has and will continue to save lives. As a result of her Tedx Talk, Lizzie has gained an even bigger following than ever. She also has built a community around her online presence that offers support and guidance to bully victims. Lizzie believes others take comfort knowing they are not alone and are more able to speak, seek help or stand up to bullies when they have support.
Saving Lives
Fighting For Legislation
Additionally, as a result of her Ted Talk, Lizzie has teamed up with Tina Meier. Tina’s daughter, Megan, took her own life after being bullied online. Lizzie and Tina are working together and are campaigning US Representatives of Congress to vote in favor of an anti-bullying bill. If the bill becomes law, it would mean that all schools would have to start recording every instance of bullying and would be provided with funds to put towards anti-bullying efforts. Nice job, ladies!
Fighting For Legislation
A Brave Heart
Lizzie Velaquez’s story is the focus of a 2015 documentary titled “A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story.” She stated in the documentary her main goal in life is to spread kindness. The film debuted at the SXSW film festival in Australia.
A Brave Heart
A Universal Story
The director of the film, Sara Hirsh Bordo, stated it is not just about Lizzie’s story but is a universal story, for everybody who has been bullied. She explained, “Her experience of triumphing adversity and making it to the other side of a painful experience is universal,” she says. “As soon as Lizzie became more open and honest – whether it was her TED talk or her YouTube videos – it was clear that people were thirsty for a story where somebody stands up and says I’m not going to be a victim, I’m going to make a change.”
A Universal Story
Her Purpose
Lizzie stated in the film, “I knew this is my purpose, this is what I’m meant to do for the rest of my life, because I like to think that I’m not only telling my story—I’m telling everyone’s story.”
Her Purpose
The Film Was A Huge Success
The film has won 8 awards at film festivals around the world. It shows Lizzie’s experience as a cyber-bullying victim to becoming an anti-bullying activist. It also shows the emotional journey she underwent that lead up to her 2013 Tedx talk.
The Film Was A Huge Success
Her Life Has Changed
Now a successful motivational speaker, author, and role model, Lizzie’s life dramatically changed. She stated in an interview that for her, “Every day is different. Some days are full of travel to go to speaking events and some days I work from home and film my YouTube videos.”
Her Life Has Changed
The Biggest Lesson She Learned
When asked in an interview what is the biggest lesson she learned through all of this was she replied, “One of the biggest lessons I had to learn was to stop comparing myself to others. It’s so easy to fall into a hole of doubt but if you stay on top of it and remind yourself of something you do like about yourself, eventually it will become second nature.”
The Biggest Lesson She Learned
What Is She Doing Now?
Her most recent book, “Dare To Be Kind,” was published in 2017. It discusses the importance of being kind and her first-hand experience of being bullied in person and online. Moreover, she is still speaking and began starring in her own Fullscreen original series titled “Unzipped” in April 2017.
Dare To Be Kind
Final Words
While Lizzie has been open about how much the support of her family helped her, she has a message for everyone including those who lack families. Lizzie beautifully stated, “It only takes one person to make a difference. If you have a friend, a relative, or someone at school that you can trust and feel safe with, I’d encourage you to reach out to them.” Lizzie and her story will continue to inspire us and millions of people around the world!
Final Words