"World's Ugliest Woman" Lizzie Velasquez Slams Online Bullies Over Cruel Meme

The so-called "world's ugliest woman" Lizzie Velasquez is no stranger to bullying. When she was just 17 years old, Velasquez—who suffers from a rare disease that renders her unable to gain weight—found a video on YouTube labeling her the "ugliest woman in the world." Since then, Velasquez has made it her life's mission to educate others on the dangers of bullying, and to make sure no one ever feels the way she did at 17. As the Daily Mail reports, Recently, Velasquez once again found herself in the crosshairs of online trolls when she saw a nasty meme on Facebook using her photograph.

The meme reads: "Michael said he would meet me behind this tree for a bit of fun. He's running late, would someone please tag him and tell him I'm still waiting?" The implication, of course, is that she's been stood up for a date because of her appearance. Instead of letting the mean joke get to her, Velasquez took to Instagram to remind bullies—and their victims—that treating our fellow humans with respect is essential. The Texas native wrote, "I'm writing this post not as someone who is a victim but as someone who is using their voice....No matter what we look like or what size we are, at the end of the day we are all human. I ask you to 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."

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Her post has been liked nearly 30,000 times, with thousands of people commenting and thanking Velasquez for her bravery. Ever since that fateful day ten years ago, when Velasquez learned just how harmful bullying can be, she's used her fame to do good—and she's doing a pretty damn good job.

If you want to learn more about Velasquez, check out our interview with her, below: