Comparing yourself to others on social media can trigger confusion, jealousy, and inadequacy. This was true for Lizzie Velasquez, an anti-bullying advocate, who found that scrolling through timelines during the pandemic negatively impacted her self-esteem.

Velasquez has felt pressure from the internet before. In 2006, when she was just 17, a video calling her ‘The World’s Ugliest Woman’ went viral on YouTube. The motivational speaker faced a challenging period due to a rare health condition that caused a lifetime of bullying.

Velasquez explains that she was diagnosed with neonatal progeroid syndrome, which consists of two conditions: lipodystrophy, which prevents her from gaining weight, and Marfan syndrome.  

 Velasquez, now 35, recalls living in two different worlds. At home, her family treated her like everyone else. She says her parents supported her and raised her to be optimistic and confident. However, things became more challenging when she started school.

As Velasquez entered high school, she better understood her condition. This newfound self-acceptance motivated Velasquez to make new friends, join the cheerleading squad, and write for the school newspaper. She began feeling grateful for her accomplishments, but then a YouTube video shook her unstable foundation.

According to DoSomething.org, 37% of teens aged 12 to 17 have experienced online bullying, with nearly 30% experiencing it multiple times. Of those who are harassed, only one in ten will tell a parent or trusted adult about their abuse.

However, Velasquez did speak up and has not stopped. Although she felt defeated, Velasquez used the moment of bullying as inspiration to make a positive impact. In 2013, she delivered a TEDxAustinWomen talk about her experiences, spreading her message of beauty and happiness to millions. She has authored two children’s books, appeared on national talk shows like The View, and was featured in the documentary film A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story, which premiered at SXSW in 2015.

The motivational speaker says her mission is to remind people that being different is unique and everyone has a life purpose. 

She is known for her optimism and positivity online but is honest about when she still gets down.