She never gave up hope, gradually to achieve university graduation, become motivational lecturer, book and other life goals, she wanted to tell everyone: "Only you can define yourself." 」

Lizzie Velasquez, aged 26, suffers from a rare disease called systemic fat loss and is 157 cm tall and weighs less than 27 kilograms. The right eye is completely blind and the left eye is impaired.

Her disease, rare to the world only 2 other people and her, in addition to the absence of body fat at birth, the disease also makes her unable to memory fat, every day in half an hour to eat a calorie, she ate more than 60 meals a day. Not only does it not add weight, but other accompanying symptoms include premature aging and poor eyesight.


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Bullying, never stopped in her life.

Lizzie was 17 years old when he was severely networked with bullying. In her documentary "A Brave Heart: The Story of Lisavillas Vecuis" (a brave heart:the Lizzie Velasquez Story), she was described as "the ugliest woman in the world". At that time Lizzie on YouTube accidentally found himself into the "ugliest woman in the world," the protagonist of the film. Just 8 seconds of film, attracted more than 4 million times to read. The thousands of comments below let her describe herself as seeing "the stomach start sinking." Some people say that she is a monster that should not be born, parents should give her an abortion early, and some people say that she burned the count, more people commented "lizzie! Come on! Please come and do something good for the world! Get yourself a gun, you! 」

So the experience of bullying is not unfamiliar to Lizzie, from the five-year-old kindergarten in the first day of life, she has been everywhere full of bullying traces. According to Lizzie's memory, at that time, I was looking forward to the school to meet her new friends, friendly to see the first child smile, but the child was terrified, look at her eyes as if she is a never appeared monster, she thought just met a rude classmate, did not expect to enter the school, Most of the children feel that Lizzie is not the same as everyone else, see her close to all flashing far. (Recommended reading: Let us grow not by the bullying process, but our own firm )


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The same experience has never been far from childhood and has been replicated in Lizzie life. She often gets out of bed and is overwhelmed by peer pressure, looking in the mirror and saying, "Can I get rid of this disease?" Without it, I would not have to wear the small clothes I bought from the Dollhouse, I could look just like everyone else, and I would try to make myself seem cool without trying to please others, and I think I would live a lot easier. "Every day she prayed like that, but she felt disappointed every day."

Only you can define yourself.

At the age of five, Lizzie once went home to cry with his parents, she thought that she had no fault, why should be criticized by others and bullying, she kept asking parents: "What did I do?" I didn't do anything to them! And Lizzle's parents told her: "The only place you are different from everyone is that you are petite than the other children." You do suffer from a rare disease, but it cannot define who you are. Go to school raise your head and keep your smile, as long as you do yourself, people will see you. 」

Lizzle's parents have seen her in this manner since she was born. In the process of growing up, Lizzie's parents always think of her as a normal child. She was the first child in the family, Lizzle was born, the doctor told her parents because there is no amniotic fluid protection, she can wail to the world, is a miracle in itself, the doctor also said not to have any expectations of the child, she may not walk, not run, unable to think, this life will accomplish nothing. Her parents reacted not as the doctor had expected, but questioned the first parents, why they had such a tragedy, but said to the doctor: "We want to see her, take her home and love her, and raise her as much as possible." 」


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In this way, four weeks of premature birth, only 1.2 kilograms when born, two years of age only five months baby so heavy, four years old right eye full blind Lizzie so all the way in the parents equal love to grow up. On this road she encountered a lot of great pain, but also often confused, but she has not forgotten what parents say, often ask themselves: "Who are you?" Was it the way you were born? Is that your background? How many of your friends are there? "It took a long time for Lizzie to understand that it was never her special appearance to define her, not her weak feet and arms, not everyone said ugly face, but her own, life control in their own state of mind, only have their own ability to open their eyes to Thanksgiving every day, and learn to cherish everything. (See together: have love, in fact, we are very happy )

Don't let things that you have lost or never have confined you to your imagination, let what you have to define you. As Lizzie said: "What if one eye can't see?" I have another eye that can look at the world tenderly. What's it like to be sick often? I still have healthy hair. "Don't let those who think you are ugly define you, their value judgments will only obscure your hope and make you think you have nothing." Your beauty, defined by yourself, is defined by your own perceptions, goals, and successes.

Emancipation begins when the master of his own body

Body politics explores how the body becomes the field of power operation at different levels, such as personal, social and institutional. From the story of Lizzie, we see that the body's wounds can be overcome, the body's history can be forgotten, and all atypical bodies can no longer be oppressed and liberated.

Lizzie has four dreams for himself: to graduate from college, to be a motivational speaker, to publish books and to have a family of his own. Eight years after being bullied by the Internet, she has obtained a Bachelor of Communications from Texas State University, San Marcos, and lectured everywhere, encouraging many people with her own experience. So far, she has published three books, sharing her stories, teaching people how to live happily, and living a wonderful self. In addition to lectures and books, she also launched a documentary project, the plan received more than 3,000 people responded to a total of more than 6 million yuan, she hopes through the film to appeal to the public to focus on cyber bullying, to create a friendly network environment.


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In the past, we saw atypical bodies that were only meaningful in the fashion circle, obese models, dwarf models, hermaphrodite models, albino models and so on have embarked on the runway, breaking the typical imagination of the model, but outside the fashion field, the public's imagination of the United States is still very poor, bullying also endless. (You will also like: these five models have something to say: the flaws in your mouth, make me different )

Therefore, Lizzie is also committed to expanding the definition of beauty, I hope everyone can be more confident of themselves. Lizzie, in addition to presenting his experience of bullying through documentaries, and working with her daughter, Tina Meier, who had committed suicide on the internet, lobbied the Bundestag to vote on the first hegemonism-Ling Federal Act. From Lizzle, we see that even if not a model, we can embrace our body in our daily life, face our own unique beauty, and make personal expression into political power.

"When I first saw you, I said to my daughter and myself, you are really beautiful, both outwardly and inwardly," said a netizen in Lizzie's personal YouTube channel. Another netizen said: "I appreciate you, beautiful from different angles, thank you for letting us know the importance of elegance and humility." "lizzie's beauty, so that netizens are proud of her courage.

Do not care how others see you say you, their words can not change the truth, but may disturb your heart, do not live in the eyes of others, to do their best. Your beauty, is really defined by you.