Lizzie Velásquez was born with an extremely rare condition. When you look at her, you can tell she had a life unlike everyone else’s. Her rare genetic illness has a significant impact on her appearance and health. She’s one of just three people in the world who has that disease.
Aside from her health problems, surgeries, and general unhappiness, the story contains a twist. Lizzie was bullied daily as a child. Her classmates were obnoxious and insensitive to her. Imagine being bullied, sneered at, and harshly addressed every day of your life.
The story progresses, Lizzie was cyberbullied as well. Cyberbullying is a step-up from regular bullying, which can lead to victim suicide. Bullying that occurs at school, for example, ceases after you leave. Cyberbullying can occur any time, day or night, seven days a week, regardless of location. What individuals write also lasts forever.
Cyberbullying is made worse by the fact that it can be viewed by friends, family, classmates, and the victim’s community. Both sorts of bullying appear to be increasing, the number of people who commit themselves in recent years. Approximately one-third of students report being bullied throughout the school year. Cyberbullying was reported by 15% of children. Two out of nine pupils who have been cyberbullied have considered suicide.
Many victims live in shame and never tell their parents or school authority about the assault. Many victims feel ashamed and alone as a result of the ordeal to cease the harassment, many people feel hopeless and attempt to commit suicide. Lizzie Velàsquez, age 17, came and saw a video of herself on YouTube with the title: “The Ugliest Girl in the World.” Her life was changed by the video. She was resolved to fight back and help people who had been bullied because of their looks.
When you meet Lizzie Velàsquez for the first time, you can tell she’s different. Her appearance is included in this. She’s unable to acquire weight due to a unique genetic condition.
Elizabeth Anne Velasquez was born on March 13, 1989, in Los Angeles, California. She was four weeks early and weighed barely 450 grams when she was born. She weighed only 2lb and 10oz when she was born. Her new name is Lizzie. Lizzie Velasquez was one of only three people who have been diagnosed with the newborn progeroid syndrome. She can’t gain weight, matures too quickly and she’s blind in one eye. Lizzie Velasquez’s condition distinguishes her existence.
Due to her medical considerations, she’s never weighed more than 64lb. Her body fat percentage is about 0%. She needs to consume 5000 to 8000 calories each day to survive. Despite this, she’s unable to gain weight. Her right eye, which has been foggy since she was four years old is likewise blind. Her left eye is equally deafening. She’s been bullied and had health problems all her life.
To diagnose her condition, doctors performed eye, ear, and foot surgeries as well as bone density and blood tests. She’s tired all the time has a weaker immune system and is undergoing cardiac scans to rule out any other issues. Lizzie had health concerns as a child, as well as bullying issues.
She commented, “When I was a teenager, I wished I could wash away my syndrome. I despised it because it was so painful,” She explained. “It’s awful to be picked on when you’re 13.” As we mentioned before, Lizzie is one of three people that have the condition. Lizzie met another woman with a similar problem in 2015.
That lady is Abby Solomon. Both women’s condition is caused by mutations in the FBN-1 gene, ‘Marfan Lipodystrophy Syndrome’ is the name of the condition. As a child, Lizzie was referred to as Thin bones, pork chop legs, and Grandma. People would question her, “what’s wrong with her face?” “Can you tell me how you got that look?” Can you imagine living in such a place?
Lizzie was used to being mocked because of her appearance. Her childhood was spent in-and-out of hospitals. Her Mexican-American family provided her with the encouragement and fortitude she needed to overcome the prejudice she faced.
Lizzie felt like she belonged because she grew up with her cousins, aunts, and uncles. She went on to say, “They never treated me any differently. For me, there’s nothing special. It was crucial to have that foundation and support from both sides of my family.” Regardless, Lizzie was 17 years old when she came upon a video on YouTube that would forever affect her life.
She was still in high school in 2006. The footage was titled “The World’s Ugliest Woman.” It was unexpectedly her video. She told the news that the day she discovered the video is one she’ll never forget. She expressed her disappointment, “You understand how I felt. However, after reading the responses, I changed my mind.” Lizzie was mocked for her appearance, yet the video and comments were both offensive and insulting. The comments left Lizzie feeling overwhelmed and hurt. “I sat there and read the comments, but there was nothing positive,” she continued.
“Some said I should kill myself for the sake of the world,” while others wondered why my parents didn’t abort me, Lizzie explained. According to one person, “people will grow blind from staring at me.” “Burn it,” someone else told her parents. Lizzie claimed she was in a bad place at the time. Thousands of negative comments, millions of views.
She was forced to talk to her family about the video, which she found embarrassing and unpleasant. Aside from the video and comments, several memes have spread around the internet.
Lizzie accomplished something extraordinary at the age of 17, despite her fears that the video would damage her image, she rose to fame as a motivational speaker and YouTube sensation. Her anti-bullying and body positivity message continues to reach people all over the world. She used the video to aid others and deliver a lesson to her bullies. She created her own YouTube account in 2006 to prove that ‘The World’s Ugliest Woman’ video was inaccurate. Currently, her channel has 460,000 subscribers.
She was also against the body-shaming trend. Remember, as she stated in numerous interviews, that the photo contains a genuine person. “We are all human no matter what we look like or how large we are,” she said in response to the meme. “I implore you to remember that the next time you come across a random stranger in a viral meme, it’s likely that the individual in the photograph is experiencing exactly the opposite. use a screen to spread love, not hate.”
“I’ve recently seen a number of them on Facebook. I’m not writing as a victim, rather, I’m writing as a voice that the people who are being used in these memes are probably up just as late browsing Facebook and feeling something I wouldn’t want my worst enemy to feel.” She went on to create her own YouTube account and started posting her answers to the video dubbed: “The World’s Ugliest Woman,” she recorded herself holding cards and then revealed her face at the end of the video. Many people realized that what they had to say on the internet has real-world consequences and that cyberbullying is unacceptable.
Lizzy’s starting point was this. She went on to become a motivational speaker to inspire individuals who are bullied or self-conscious about their appearance. “I taught myself what I know about speaking through the internet and YouTube. Websites for speakers were included in our investigation. I was watching how they walked across the stage. I would learn anything I could get my hands on if they provided note cards or presentations,” she said.
After graduating from TSU, Lizzie went on to become a motivational speaker. Lizzie is a well-known anti-bullying advocate who tours the globe. She recounts being bullied as a child and expresses gratitude to her parents and loved ones for instilling her the courage and strength to be herself.
“What characterizes you?” Lizzie’s inquisitive, and she refuses to be defined by others’ impressions of her. Lizzie added ‘authora to her resumé in 2010. Her autobiography was titled ‘Lizzie Beautiful, The Lizzy Velasquez Story.’ “People are taught to love and accept themselves for who they are, not how they seem.” Her second book ‘Be Beautiful, Be You,’ was launched in 2013.
Lizzie’s career was taken to the next level, in January of 2014, she talked at TEDx Austin Women about ‘how do you define yourself?’ It’s already received over 7 million views on YouTube.
In her Ted talk, she is upbeat, encouraging, and funny and she communicated her point. She joked that because of her illness, she can eat everything she wants and that is exactly as good as it sounds.
Her story and anti-bullying message have saved lives and will continue to save lives. As a result of her TEDx talk, Lizzie has gained a much greater audience. She’s also started an online forum for bully-victims to get support and counseling. “People are more able to speak up, get therapy and face up to bullies,” Lizzie believes when they know they’re not alone. As a result of her Ted talk, Lizzie has teamed up with Tina Meyer.
Tina’s daughter Meghan took her own life after being bullied online. Lizzie and Tina are working together on a campaign to urge US representatives to vote in favor of a bill to combat bullying. If the bill passes, all schools will be compelled to start recording all cases of bullying and will be given money to assist in anti-bullying programs. You ladies did a fantastic job!
Lizzy Velasquez’s story is told in the 2015 documentary “A Brave Heart, The Lizzie Velasquez Story.” She stated in the documentary that her main goal in life is to spread kindness.
At the south by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The film made its world premiere. The film’s director, Sarah Hirsch Bordeaux, stated that “The story isn’t only about Lizzie, it’s a universal story for anyone who’s been mistreated, her story of overcoming difficulties and surviving a horrible experience is universal,” she says. As soon as Lizzie became more open and honest, whether it was her Ted presentation or her YouTube videos, it was evident that people were eager for a story where someone steps up and says, “I’m not going to be a victim, I’m going to make a change.”
The film has won 8 awards in film-festivals throughout the world. Her most recent book “Dare to be kind” was published in 2017. It emphasizes the importance of kindness, as well as her personal experience with bullying, in-person and online.
She’s still speaking, and she began starring in her own full-screen original series “Unzipped,” in April 2017.
Lizzie has been outspoken about how important her family’s support has been to her, but she has a message for everyone, particularly for those without families. “It only takes one person to change the world,” Lizzie remarked. “I would advise you to seek out a friend, cousin, or a classmate with whom you can trust and feel comfortable.”
Lizzie’s story will continue to inspire us, and millions of others around the world.