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This is what a real inspiration looks like

Lizzie Velasquez hit back at her online bullies in the most elegant way

In an era of reality TV stars and Insta-famous wannabes, itโ€™s easy to lose sight of lifeโ€™s real heroes.

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One such hero is Lizzie Velasquez, who has taken on online trolls after finding herself featured in a cruel meme that targeted her disability.

Lizzie has a rare genetic illness that means that she cannot gain weight, and has never weighed more than 29 kilograms. She is also partially blind.

In 2006 โ€“ when the Texan was just 16 โ€“ a Youtube video dubbed her the worldโ€™s ugliest woman. But Lizzie turned the publicity to her advantage and spoke out against the bullying.

She has since become a motivational speaker who is known for her TedX talk โ€œHow do you define yourself?โ€ and her Youtube videos have amassed more than 50 million views. She also starred in the documentary A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story.

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This week, Lizzie once again spoke out in the face of bullying after a meme was circulated poking fun of her appearance. 

She wrote: 

Iโ€™ve seen a ton of memes like this all over @facebook recently. Iโ€™m writing this post not as someone who is a victim but as someone who is using their voice.

Yes, itโ€™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 wouldnโ€™t wish on my worst enemy. No matter what we look like or what size we are, at the end of the day we are all human.

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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. Xoxo Lizzie 

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