A woman who was victim to a cruel internet ‘meme’ has hit back at bullies, who made fun of her appearance and was shared worldwide.
Lizzie Velasquez, a motivational speaker, has a rare congenital disease that prevents her body from storing fat.
She has also been diagnosed with Marfan syndrome – a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue.
After spotting the meme herself online, Lizzie responded stating that it is something she wouldn’t “wish on my worst enemy”.
Taking to Instagram, Lizzie said:
“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.
“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.”
Lizzie adds that size and looks should not be used to spread hurt because “at the end of the day we are all human”.
“I ask that you keep that in mind the next time you see a viral meme of a random stranger,” she continues. “At the time you might find it hilarious but the human in the photo is probably feeling the exact opposite.”
One Facebook user showed their support, saying: “I’m so sorry that people are so cruel about something they know nothing about”, whilst others said they had come across the meme before and asked others to remove it.
Lizzie has responded in kind to the support saying:
“Today has been awesome and I cannot tell you how loved I feel.”