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Changing short description from "American motivational speaker, activist, author, and YouTuber (born 1989)" to "American motivational speaker and YouTuber"
 
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{{Short description|American motivational speaker and YouTuber}}
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{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
|name = Elizabeth Ann Velásquez
| name = Lizzie Velasquez
|image = <!-- Lvfacebook.jpg-->
| image = Lizzie Velasquez 2017.jpg
|alt =
| alt =
|caption = <!-- Lizzie Velásquez in late November 2012-->
| caption = Velásquez at the 2017 Texas Book Festival
| birth_name = Elizabeth Ann Velásquez
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|3|13}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|3|13}}
|birth_place = [[Austin, Texas|Austin]], Texas, US
| birth_place = [[Austin, Texas]], U.S.
|death_date =
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| occupation = [[Motivational speaker]]
|death_place =
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| known_for = [[Public speaking]], anti-bullying activism, public appearances, and book authorship
|other_names = Lizzie Velásquez
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| parents = Rita Borja Velásquez <br /> Guadalupe Fonsi Velásquez
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|known_for = [[Public speaking]], anti-bullying activism, public appearances, and book authorship
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| alma mater = [[Texas State University]]
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|occupation = [[Motivational speaker]]
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|alma mater = [[Texas State University]]
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|parents = Rita Velásquez <br> Guadalupe Velásquez
|nationality = American
|website = [http://www.aboutlizzie.com Aboutlizzie.com]
|religion = [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic]]
}}
}}
'''Elizabeth Ann "Lizzie" Velásquez''' (born March 13, 1989) is an American woman whose extremely [[rare disease|rare medical condition]] led her to become an author and [[motivational speaker]].


'''Elizabeth Anne Velásquez''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɪ||z|i|_|v|ə|ˈ|l|æ|s|k|ɛ|z}}; born March 13, 1989) is an American [[motivational speaker]], activist, writer, and [[YouTuber]]. She was born with an extremely [[rare disease|rare congenital disease]] called [[Marfanoid–progeroid–lipodystrophy syndrome]] that, among other symptoms, prevents her from accumulating [[Adipose tissue|body fat]] and gaining weight. Her conditions resulted in bullying during her childhood. During her teenage years, she faced [[cyberbullying]], which ultimately inspired her to take up motivational speaking.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/once-bullied-now-empowered-lizzie-velasquez-lobbies-capitol-hill/2015/10/27/8f6c8ece-7ce3-11e5-afce-2afd1d3eb896_story.html?noredirect=on|title=Once bullied, now empowered, Lizzie Velasquez lobbies Capitol Hill|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://brentwoodhomepage.com/anti-bullying-activist-lizzie-velasquez-will-share-story-of-her-journey/|title=Anti-bullying activist Lizzie Velasquez will share story of her journey|date=April 7, 2017|website=Brentwood Home Page|language=en-US|access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref>
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==Early life and background==

The eldest of three children born to Rita and Guadalupe Velásquez,<ref name = voxxi>[http://www.voxxi.com/ugliest-woman-in-the-world-true-beauty/ ‘Ugliest woman in the world’ teaches about true beauty (September 19, 2012 by Paloma Corredor; published on voxxi.com)]</ref> Lizzie was born in [[Austin, Texas]], on March 13, 1989.<ref>[http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txbirths?c=search&first=elizabeth&last=velasquez+&spelling=Exact&11_year=1989&11_month=3&11_day=13&4=&14=&SubmitSearch.x=23&SubmitSearch.y=16 Texas Birth Record search for Elizabeth Velasquez]</ref> Born four weeks prematurely, her birth weight was only 2 pounds 11 ounces (1,219 grams).<ref name = 'abc'/><ref name = Oliver>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2202512/Worlds-ugliest-woman-Lizzie-Velasquez-gives-courageous-interview.html#axzz2KCWRMnw7 'People should stop staring and start learning': World's ‘ugliest woman’ gives courageous interview] by Amy Oliver, Daily Mail online, September 13, 2012</ref> Her age was reported as 23 in September 2012, a time when she was nearing graduation from [[Texas State University]]<ref name ='abc'>[http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/texas-woman-gain-weight-bullied/story?id=17228529 Texas Woman Can't Gain Weight, Bullied Over Looks] ''ABC News'', September 14, 2012</ref> majoring in [[communication studies]].<ref>[http://star.txstate.edu/node/5858 Q & A: Lizzie Velasquez]</ref> She is a [[Roman Catholic]], and she has spoken out in terms of her belief in God who has "blessed me with the greatest blessing of my life, which is my syndrome".<ref name = 'catholic'>[http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/young-catholic-woman-with-rare-syndrome-speaks-on-true-beauty/ Young Catholic woman with rare syndrome speaks on true beauty] Catholic News Agency of Austin, Texas; May 30, 2012</ref>
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==Early life==
The eldest of three children born to Rita and Guadalupe Velásquez,<ref name = voxxi>{{Cite web |url=http://www.voxxi.com/ugliest-woman-in-the-world-true-beauty/ |title='Ugliest woman in the world' teaches about true beauty (September 19, 2012 by Paloma Corredor; published on voxxi.com) |access-date=February 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314222712/http://www.voxxi.com/ugliest-woman-in-the-world-true-beauty/ |archive-date=March 14, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Lizzie was born on March 13, 1989, in [[Austin, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web|work=Myheritage.com |url=http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txbirths?c=search&first=elizabeth&last=velasquez+&spelling=Exact&11_year=1989&11_month=3&11_day=13&4=&14=&SubmitSearch.x=23&SubmitSearch.y=16 |title=Texas Birth Record search for Elizabeth Velasquez |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111072411/http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/txbirths?c=search&first=elizabeth&last=velasquez%2B&spelling=Exact&11_year=1989&11_month=3&11_day=13&4=&14=&SubmitSearch.x=23&SubmitSearch.y=16 |archive-date=January 11, 2014 }}</ref> She was born four weeks [[Preterm birth|prematurely]] and weighed less than 2 pounds 11 ounces (1,219 grams).<ref>{{cite web |title=Lizzie Velásquez |url=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4216406.Lizzie_Vel_squez |website=www.goodreads.com |access-date=September 8, 2020 |ref=birth_weight}}</ref><ref name = 'abc'/>

Velásquez studied at [[Texas State University]]<ref name="abc">[https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/texas-woman-gain-weight-bullied/story?id=17228529 Texas Woman Can't Gain Weight, Bullied Over Looks] ''ABC News'', September 14, 2012</ref> until late 2012, majoring in [[communication studies]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archive.star.txstate.edu/websites/star.txstate.edu/content/lizzies-story/|title=Lizzie's Story|author=Allen Reed|date=December 3, 2009|publisher=[[University Star]]|access-date=December 17, 2016}}</ref> She is a [[Roman Catholic]] and has said of her faith, "It's been my rock through everything, just having the time to be alone and pray and talk to God and know that He's there for me."<ref name="Walker2013">{{cite web|url=http://www.charismanews.com/us/42243-world-s-ugliest-woman-proves-that-jesus-makes-all-things-beautiful|title='World's Ugliest Woman' Proves That Jesus Makes All Things Beautiful|last=Walker|first=Ken|date=December 31, 2013|publisher=[[Charisma (magazine)|Charisma]]|language=en|access-date=June 28, 2016|quote=Raised in the Catholic parish where both her parents work, Velasquez's decision to follow Christ came near the end of high school. She credits her faith with enabling her to endure everything from scorn to physical infirmities. "It's been my rock through everything, just having the time to be alone and pray and talk to God and know that He's there for me," she says.}}</ref><ref name="Collier2014">{{cite web|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/lizzie-velasquez-once-labeled-worlds-ugliest-woman-using-faith-in-jesus-to-spread-message-of-love-and-tolerance-video-112153/|title=Lizzie Velasquez, Once Labeled World's Ugliest Woman, Using Faith in Jesus to Spread Message of Love and Tolerance (VIDEO)|last=Collier|first=Myles|date=January 7, 2014|publisher=[[The Christian Post]]|language=en|access-date=June 28, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.premierchristianity.com/Past-Issues/2014/November-2014/Lizzie-Velasquez|title=Lizzie Velasquez|last=Hart|first=Lucinda van der|date=2014|publisher=[[Premier Christianity]]|language=en|access-date=June 28, 2016|quote=I was born and raised in the Catholic faith and my parents have always been very involved in church and volunteering. It was always my dad's way of wanting to say to God, 'We will be as close as we can with you, volunteer and do what we can, as long as you help keep Lizzie healthy.' And so we did that our whole lives.}}</ref>


==Condition==
==Condition==
Velazquez has a condition that is so rare that only two other people are known to have it.<ref name=About>{{cite web|last=Velasquez|first=Lizzie|title=About Lizzie|url=http://www.aboutlizzie.com/#!news/cf4g}}</ref> She has zero [[Body fat percentage|percent body fat]] and has never weighed more than 64 pounds (29&nbsp;kg).<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c62Aqdlzvqk |title=How Do YOU Define Yourself Lizzie Velasquez at TEDxAustinWomen}}</ref> Although Velazquez is not [[anorexic]], she is unable to gain weight<ref name ='today'>[http://www.today.com/id/38105383/site/todayshow/ns/today-today_health/t/meet-woman-who-cant-gain-weight-shes-pounds/#.URjO3fK7ouN Meet woman who can’t gain weight: At 21, she’s 60 pounds] ''Today Health'' at today.com, July 6, 2010</ref> and is required to eat many small meals and snacks throughout the day.<ref>[http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/young-catholic-woman-with-rare-syndrome-speaks-on-true-beauty/ Young Catholic woman with rare syndrome speaks on true beauty] Catholic News Agency, May 30, 2012</ref> Her daily energy intake of about 5,000 [[kilocalorie]]s<ref name ='today'/> compares with the US average of 3,770.<ref>[http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ess/documents/food_security_statistics/FoodConsumptionNutrients_en.xls Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations 2005–07 Food Security Statistics]</ref> She is [[Blindness#Genetic defects|blind in her right eye]], which began to cloud over when she was four years of age,<ref>[http://shine.yahoo.com/beauty/lessons-worlds-ugliest-woman-stop-staring-start-learning-184400606.html Lessons from the 'World's Ugliest Woman': 'Stop Staring and Start Learning'] by Lylah M. Alphonse of Yahoo! Shine, September 13, 2012</ref> and has limited vision in the other.<ref name=About /> She has a weak immune system.<ref name=NyDaily>{{cite web|last=Hartenstein|first=Meena|title=Lizzie Velasquez, 21-year-old with undiagnosed genetic disorder, must eat 60 times a day to survive|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/lizzie-velasquez-21-year-old-undiagnosed-genetic-disorder-eat-60-times-day-survive-article-1.184956|publisher=NewYork Daily|accessdate=June 23, 2013}}</ref> Her condition is similar to many other conditions, especially [[progeria]]. However, her condition is not [[Terminal illness|terminal]]. Involved medical researchers at the [[University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center]] have expressed the opinion that it may be a form of [[neonatal]] [[progeroid syndrome]], which at least has spared her healthy bones, organs, and teeth. It is thought she should be able to [[Human fertilization|conceive naturally]] without [[heredity|passing the condition to her children]].<ref name =Oliver />
Velásquez's condition is an extremely rare, previously undiagnosed, and non-[[Terminal illness|terminal]] genetic disorder.<ref name=NyDaily>{{cite news|last=Hartenstein|first=Meena|title=Lizzie Velasquez, 30-year-old with undiagnosed genetic disorder, must eat 60 times a day to survive|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/lizzie-velasquez-21-year-old-undiagnosed-genetic-disorder-eat-60-times-day-survive-article-1.184956|publisher=New York Daily|access-date=June 23, 2013|location=New York}}</ref> Her condition bears similarities to many other conditions, especially [[progeria]]. Medical researchers at the [[University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center]] previously speculated that it may be a form of [[neonatal]] [[progeroid syndrome]] (NPS) ([[Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome]]), which does not affect Velásquez's healthy bones, organs, or teeth.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/girl-must-eat-every-15-minutes-lizzie-velasquez-stays-skeletal-despite-nonstop-eating-pictures/ | title=Girl Must Eat Every 15 Minutes: Lizzie Velasquez Stays Skeletal Despite Nonstop Eating | work=CBS News | date=June 29, 2010 | access-date=March 14, 2015 | author=Freeman, David}}</ref>


Velásquez is medically unable to gain weight, which is a hallmark of her extremely rare disorder.<ref name ='today'>[http://www.today.com/id/38105383/site/todayshow/ns/today-today_health/t/meet-woman-who-cant-gain-weight-shes-pounds/ Meet woman who can't gain weight: At 21, she's 60 pounds] ''Today Health'' at today.com, July 6, 2010</ref> She has never weighed more than 29&nbsp;kg (64&nbsp;lbs), and reportedly has almost 0% [[body fat percentage|body fat]].<ref name="TEDxAustinWomen">{{citation|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c62Aqdlzvqk |title=How Do YOU Define Yourself Lizzie Velasquez at TEDxAustinWomen|date=December 20, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="Telegraph2010">{{cite web | title = The girl who must eat every 15 minutes to stay alive | website = The Telegraph | date = June 28, 2010 | url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/7858664/The-girl-who-must-eat-every-15-minutes-to-stay-alive.html|quote=Lizzie Velasquez weighs just four stone and has almost zero per cent body fat but she is not anorexic. [...] Despite consuming between 5,000 and 8,000 calories daily, the communications student, has never tipped over 4st 3lbs.}}</ref> Moreover, she is required to eat many small meals and snacks throughout the day, averaging between 5,000 and 8,000&nbsp;calories daily.<ref name="TEDxAustinWomen" /><ref name="Telegraph2010" /> Additionally, she is blind in her right eye, which began to cloud over when she was four,<ref name="alphonse">[http://shine.yahoo.com/beauty/lessons-worlds-ugliest-woman-stop-staring-start-learning-184400606.html Lessons from the 'World's Ugliest Woman': 'Stop Staring and Start Learning'] by Lylah M. Alphonse of Yahoo! Shine, September 13, 2012</ref> and she is vision-impaired in her left eye.<ref name=About>{{cite web|last=Velasquez|first=Lizzie|title=About Lizzie|url=http://www.aboutlizzie.com/#!news/cf4g}}</ref>
==Appearance and message==
She has some [[Progeria#Signs and symptoms|progeroid physical characteristics]], such as the pointed nose and already aging skin, but she has additional problems beyond that [[medical diagnosis|diagnostic classification]]. Lizzie Velasquez has spoken out against [[bullying]].<ref name ='ET'>{{cite news |url=http://www.etonline.com/news/130007_Lizzie_Valasquez_s_Lifelong_Struggle_with_Bullying_Revealed/index.html |title=Lizzie Velasquez's Lifelong Struggle With Bullying Revealed |work=[[Entertainment Tonight]] |date=February 1, 2013}}</ref><ref name=HUFF>{{cite web|title=Lizzie Velasquez, Born Without Adipose Tissue: 'Maybe You Should Stop Staring And Start Learning'|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/13/lizzie-velasquez-adipose-tissue-neonatal-progeroid-syndrome_n_1880875.html|publisher=Huffington Post}}</ref>


Around 2015, it was revealed that Velásquez and another woman named Abby Solomon, with a similar but less severe variant of the condition, have [[genetic mutation|mutation]]s in the ''[[Fibrillin 1|FBN1]]'' [[gene]], which encodes the [[proprotein]] of the novel [[hormone]] [[asprosin]], and that this mutation results in asprosin deficiency and is responsible for their conditions.<ref name="Bordo2015">{{cite AV media | people = Bordo, Sara (Director); Campo, Michael (Writer); Velasquez, Lizzie (Star) | year = 2015 | title = A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story | time = 45:50 to 50:36 | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm81NWZNdpw&t=45m50s}}</ref><ref name="Kennedy2016">{{cite web | last=Kennedy | first=Pagan | title=The Thin Gene | website=The New York Times | date=November 25, 2016 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/25/opinion/sunday/the-thin-gene.html | access-date=May 22, 2017}}</ref> The condition is specifically called [[Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy syndrome]], or simply Marfan lipodystrophy syndrome.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Graul-Neumann LM, Kienitz T, Robinson PN, Baasanjav S, Karow B, Gillesen-Kaesbach G, Fahsold R, Schmidt H, Hoffmann K, Passarge E | title = Marfan syndrome with neonatal progeroid syndrome-like lipodystrophy associated with a novel frameshift mutation at the 3-prime terminus of the FBN1-gene | journal = Am. J. Med. Genet. | volume = 152A | pages = 2749–2755 | date = 2010 | issue = 11 | doi = 10.1002/ajmg.a.33690 | pmid = 20979188| s2cid = 26408208 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors =Jacquinet A, Verloes A, Callewaert B, Coremans C, Coucke P, De Paepe A, Kornak U, Lebrun F, Lombret J, Pierard GE, Robinson PN, Symoens S, Van Maldergem L, Debray FG | title = Neonatal progeroid variant of Marfan syndrome with congenital lipodystrophy results from mutations at the 3' end of FBN1 gene | journal = Eur. J. Med. Genet. | volume = 57 | issue = 5 | pages = 230–234 | date = 2014 | pmid = 24613577| doi = 10.1016/j.ejmg.2014.02.012 | url = https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/5661161/file/5661193 }}</ref>
==Publications==
Her first published work was her co-authored and self-published autobiography released in 2010 in English and Spanish.{{citation needed|date=March 2013}}


==Career==
Her second book, ''Be Beautiful, Be You'' (2012), advocates informing people that appearance doesn't matter and that one should love oneself for who one is.<ref name="Books site">{{cite web|last=Velasquez|first=Lizzie|title=Lizzie's books|url=http://www.aboutlizzie.com/#!lizzies-books/c1ya3}}</ref> It was published by a [[Redemptorist]] publishing house, the [[Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer]].
Ever since she was dubbed the "World's Ugliest Woman" in a video posted on YouTube in 2006, when she was 17, Velásquez has spoken out against bullying. In January 2014, she gave a [[TED (conference)|TEDxAustinWomen Talk]] titled "How Do YOU Define Yourself",<ref name=TED20140121>{{cite web |title=How do you define yourself? - Lizzie Velasquez at TEDxAustinWomen |url=http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/How-do-you-define-yourself-Lizz |publisher=TED |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809045221/http://tedxtalks.ted.com/video/How-do-you-define-yourself-Lizz |archive-date=August 9, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and her YouTube videos have received over 54 million views.<ref name=YTviews20161025>{{cite web |title=Lizzie Velasquez |url=https://www.youtube.com/user/lizzitachickita/about |publisher=YouTube (website report of video views) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025221407/https://www.youtube.com/user/lizzitachickita/about |archive-date=October 25, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> She is known for her optimism.<ref name="alphonse" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> For {{Link if exists|National Bullying Prevention Month}} in 2015, she hosted a social media challenge for [[Bystander Revolution]]'s Month of Action.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lizzie Velasquez's Challenge: Born Beautiful|url=http://www.bystanderrevolution.org/monthofaction/22|website=Bystander Revolution|access-date=April 20, 2016|date=October 22, 2015}}</ref>

Her first work, co-authored with her mother, Rita, is a self-published autobiography published in 2010 in English and Spanish.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/13805878-lizzie-beautiful-the-lizzie-velasquez-story|title=Lizzie Beautiful|website=www.goodreads.com|access-date=February 22, 2019}}</ref> It is called ''Lizzie Beautiful: The Lizzie Velásquez Story'', and includes letters Velásquez's mother wrote to her as a child.

Velásquez has also written two books directed at kids, which share personal stories and offer advice. ''Be Beautiful, Be You'' (2012) shares her journey "to discover what truly makes us beautiful, and teaches readers to recognize their unique gifts and blessings".<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Velasquez|first1=Lizzie|title=Be Beautiful, Be You|url=http://www.liguori.org/be-beautiful-be-you.html|website=Liguori.org|publisher=Liguori Publications|access-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref> The book is also available in Spanish as ''Sé bella, sé tú misma'' (2013).<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last1=Velasquez|first1=Lizzie|title=Sé bella, sé tú misma|url=http://www.liguori.org/se-bella-se-tu-misma.html|website=Liguori.org|publisher=Liguori Publications|access-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref> Another book, ''Choosing Happiness'' (2014), talks about some of the obstacles Velásquez has faced and how she "learned the importance of choosing to be happy when it's all too easy to give up".<ref name=":2">{{cite web|last1=Velasquez|first1=Lizzie|title=Choosing Happiness|url=http://www.liguori.org/choosing-happiness.html|website=Liguori.org|publisher=Liguori Publications|access-date=April 7, 2015}}</ref> Both books were published by Liguori Publications, a [[Redemptorist]] publishing house.

''Dare to be Kind'', first published in 2017, is about the importance of being kind, gleaned from her firsthand experience being bullied, both personally and online.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dare to Be Kind: How Extraordinary Compassion Can Transform Our World|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-316-27243-8|website=publishersweekly.com|publisher=PWxyz, LLC|access-date=November 6, 2017}}</ref>

A documentary film titled ''A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velásquez Story'' premiered at [[SXSW]] on March 14, 2015.<ref name="hawkins">{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-ouch-30948179 | title='Bullies called me the world's ugliest woman online' | work=BBC News | date=March 14, 2015 | access-date=March 14, 2015 | author=Hawkins, Kathleen}}</ref> The movie aired on [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]] on October 17, 2016.

Velásquez began starring on her own [[Fullscreen (company)|Fullscreen]] original series titled ''Unzipped'' since April 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.raredr.com/news/lizzie-velasquez-show-body-positivity|title=No More Bullying: Lizzie Velasquez Has New Show About Body Positivity|website=Rare Disease Report|access-date=February 22, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=Unzipped with Lizzie Velasquez|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt6614948/|access-date=February 22, 2019}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
* [[Hayley Okines]]&nbsp;— English girl who had progeria and was the subject of television specials both in Europe and in the United States.
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{{Portal|Austin|Biography}}
* [[Sam Berns]]&nbsp;— American male with progeria who was the only child of the doctors who established the [[Progeria Research Foundation]].
* [[Hayley Okines]], an English girl with [[progeria]] who is known for spreading progeria awareness
* [[Sam Berns]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist|30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
* {{YouTube|u=lizzitachickita|{{PAGENAMEBASE}}}}
*[http://www.aboutlizzie.com/ Personal website]
* {{IMDb name|6420378}}
*[https://twitter.com/littlelizziev Lizzie Velásquez] on Twitter
* Velásquez, Lizzie (December 20, 2013). [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c62Aqdlzvqk/ "How Do YOU Define Yourself Lizzie Velasquez at TEDxAustinWomen"]. [[YouTube]].
* Adams, Sam (March 14, 2015). [https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/lizzie-velasquez-woman-labelled-ugliest-5331481 "Lizzie Velasquez: Woman labelled 'ugliest in the world' by online bullies fights back with film about her life']. ''[[Daily Mirror]]''.
* Hurst, Samantha (May 14, 2014). [http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2014/05/40699-lizzie-project-surpasses-180k-crowdfunding-campaign-goal-kickstarter/ "'The Lizzie Project' Surpasses $180k Goal on Kickstarter"]. Crowdfund Insider.

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{{Portal bar|Biography}}

{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata
| NAME = Velasquez, Lizzie
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Elizabeth Ann Velasquez
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Disability advocate, public speaker
| DATE OF BIRTH = March 13, 1989
| PLACE OF BIRTH = Austin, Texas
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Velasquez, Lizzie}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Velasquez, Lizzie}}
[[Category:1989 births]]
[[Category:1989 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century women writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]
[[Category:American bloggers]]
[[Category:American bloggers]]
[[Category:American human rights activists]]
[[Category:American women human rights activists]]
[[Category:American people with disabilities]]
[[Category:American writers with disabilities]]
[[Category:American motivational speakers]]
[[Category:American motivational speakers]]
[[Category:Disability rights activists]]
[[Category:American women motivational speakers]]
[[Category:Blind writers]]
[[Category:American disability rights activists]]
[[Category:Writers from Austin, Texas]]
[[Category:Writers from Austin, Texas]]
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[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American women]]
[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American writers]]
[[Category:Hispanic and Latino American writers]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Victims of cyberbullying]]
[[Category:American activists]]
[[Category:Texas State University alumni]]
[[Category:Victims of cyber-bullying]]
[[Category:Texas State University–San Marcos alumni]]
[[Category:Anti-bullying activists]]
[[Category:Anti-bullying activists]]
[[Category:American autobiographers]]
[[Category:American autobiographers]]
[[Category:American women writers]]
[[Category:American women autobiographers]]
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[[Category:American women bloggers]]
[[Category:American women non-fiction writers]]
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[[Category:YouTubers from Austin, Texas]]

Latest revision as of 06:55, 5 November 2024

Lizzie Velasquez
Velásquez at the 2017 Texas Book Festival
Born
Elizabeth Ann Velásquez

(1989-03-13) March 13, 1989 (age 35)
Austin, Texas, U.S.
Alma materTexas State University
OccupationMotivational speaker
Known forPublic speaking, anti-bullying activism, public appearances, and book authorship
Parent(s)Rita Borja Velásquez
Guadalupe Fonsi Velásquez

Elizabeth Anne Velásquez (/ˈlɪzi vəˈlæskɛz/; born March 13, 1989) is an American motivational speaker, activist, writer, and YouTuber. She was born with an extremely rare congenital disease called Marfanoid–progeroid–lipodystrophy syndrome that, among other symptoms, prevents her from accumulating body fat and gaining weight. Her conditions resulted in bullying during her childhood. During her teenage years, she faced cyberbullying, which ultimately inspired her to take up motivational speaking.[1][2]

Early life

The eldest of three children born to Rita and Guadalupe Velásquez,[3] Lizzie was born on March 13, 1989, in Austin, Texas.[4] She was born four weeks prematurely and weighed less than 2 pounds 11 ounces (1,219 grams).[5][6]

Velásquez studied at Texas State University[6] until late 2012, majoring in communication studies.[7] She is a Roman Catholic and has said of her faith, "It's been my rock through everything, just having the time to be alone and pray and talk to God and know that He's there for me."[8][9][10]

Condition

Velásquez's condition is an extremely rare, previously undiagnosed, and non-terminal genetic disorder.[11] Her condition bears similarities to many other conditions, especially progeria. Medical researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center previously speculated that it may be a form of neonatal progeroid syndrome (NPS) (Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch syndrome), which does not affect Velásquez's healthy bones, organs, or teeth.[12]

Velásquez is medically unable to gain weight, which is a hallmark of her extremely rare disorder.[13] She has never weighed more than 29 kg (64 lbs), and reportedly has almost 0% body fat.[14][15] Moreover, she is required to eat many small meals and snacks throughout the day, averaging between 5,000 and 8,000 calories daily.[14][15] Additionally, she is blind in her right eye, which began to cloud over when she was four,[16] and she is vision-impaired in her left eye.[17]

Around 2015, it was revealed that Velásquez and another woman named Abby Solomon, with a similar but less severe variant of the condition, have mutations in the FBN1 gene, which encodes the proprotein of the novel hormone asprosin, and that this mutation results in asprosin deficiency and is responsible for their conditions.[18][19] The condition is specifically called Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy syndrome, or simply Marfan lipodystrophy syndrome.[20][21]

Career

Ever since she was dubbed the "World's Ugliest Woman" in a video posted on YouTube in 2006, when she was 17, Velásquez has spoken out against bullying. In January 2014, she gave a TEDxAustinWomen Talk titled "How Do YOU Define Yourself",[22] and her YouTube videos have received over 54 million views.[23] She is known for her optimism.[16][24][25][26] For National Bullying Prevention Month in 2015, she hosted a social media challenge for Bystander Revolution's Month of Action.[27]

Her first work, co-authored with her mother, Rita, is a self-published autobiography published in 2010 in English and Spanish.[28] It is called Lizzie Beautiful: The Lizzie Velásquez Story, and includes letters Velásquez's mother wrote to her as a child.

Velásquez has also written two books directed at kids, which share personal stories and offer advice. Be Beautiful, Be You (2012) shares her journey "to discover what truly makes us beautiful, and teaches readers to recognize their unique gifts and blessings".[24] The book is also available in Spanish as Sé bella, sé tú misma (2013).[25] Another book, Choosing Happiness (2014), talks about some of the obstacles Velásquez has faced and how she "learned the importance of choosing to be happy when it's all too easy to give up".[26] Both books were published by Liguori Publications, a Redemptorist publishing house.

Dare to be Kind, first published in 2017, is about the importance of being kind, gleaned from her firsthand experience being bullied, both personally and online.[29]

A documentary film titled A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velásquez Story premiered at SXSW on March 14, 2015.[30] The movie aired on Lifetime on October 17, 2016.

Velásquez began starring on her own Fullscreen original series titled Unzipped since April 2017.[31][32]

See also

  • Hayley Okines — English girl who had progeria and was the subject of television specials both in Europe and in the United States.
  • Sam Berns — American male with progeria who was the only child of the doctors who established the Progeria Research Foundation.

References

  1. ^ "Once bullied, now empowered, Lizzie Velasquez lobbies Capitol Hill". The Washington Post.
  2. ^ "Anti-bullying activist Lizzie Velasquez will share story of her journey". Brentwood Home Page. April 7, 2017. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  3. ^ "'Ugliest woman in the world' teaches about true beauty (September 19, 2012 by Paloma Corredor; published on voxxi.com)". Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  4. ^ "Texas Birth Record search for Elizabeth Velasquez". Myheritage.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014.
  5. ^ "Lizzie Velásquez". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Texas Woman Can't Gain Weight, Bullied Over Looks ABC News, September 14, 2012
  7. ^ Allen Reed (December 3, 2009). "Lizzie's Story". University Star. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  8. ^ Walker, Ken (December 31, 2013). "'World's Ugliest Woman' Proves That Jesus Makes All Things Beautiful". Charisma. Retrieved June 28, 2016. Raised in the Catholic parish where both her parents work, Velasquez's decision to follow Christ came near the end of high school. She credits her faith with enabling her to endure everything from scorn to physical infirmities. "It's been my rock through everything, just having the time to be alone and pray and talk to God and know that He's there for me," she says.
  9. ^ Collier, Myles (January 7, 2014). "Lizzie Velasquez, Once Labeled World's Ugliest Woman, Using Faith in Jesus to Spread Message of Love and Tolerance (VIDEO)". The Christian Post. Retrieved June 28, 2016.
  10. ^ Hart, Lucinda van der (2014). "Lizzie Velasquez". Premier Christianity. Retrieved June 28, 2016. I was born and raised in the Catholic faith and my parents have always been very involved in church and volunteering. It was always my dad's way of wanting to say to God, 'We will be as close as we can with you, volunteer and do what we can, as long as you help keep Lizzie healthy.' And so we did that our whole lives.
  11. ^ Hartenstein, Meena. "Lizzie Velasquez, 30-year-old with undiagnosed genetic disorder, must eat 60 times a day to survive". New York: New York Daily. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  12. ^ Freeman, David (June 29, 2010). "Girl Must Eat Every 15 Minutes: Lizzie Velasquez Stays Skeletal Despite Nonstop Eating". CBS News. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  13. ^ Meet woman who can't gain weight: At 21, she's 60 pounds Today Health at today.com, July 6, 2010
  14. ^ a b How Do YOU Define Yourself Lizzie Velasquez at TEDxAustinWomen, December 20, 2013
  15. ^ a b "The girl who must eat every 15 minutes to stay alive". The Telegraph. June 28, 2010. Lizzie Velasquez weighs just four stone and has almost zero per cent body fat but she is not anorexic. [...] Despite consuming between 5,000 and 8,000 calories daily, the communications student, has never tipped over 4st 3lbs.
  16. ^ a b Lessons from the 'World's Ugliest Woman': 'Stop Staring and Start Learning' by Lylah M. Alphonse of Yahoo! Shine, September 13, 2012
  17. ^ Velasquez, Lizzie. "About Lizzie".
  18. ^ Bordo, Sara (Director); Campo, Michael (Writer); Velasquez, Lizzie (Star) (2015). A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story. Event occurs at 45:50 to 50:36.
  19. ^ Kennedy, Pagan (November 25, 2016). "The Thin Gene". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2017.
  20. ^ Graul-Neumann LM, Kienitz T, Robinson PN, Baasanjav S, Karow B, Gillesen-Kaesbach G, Fahsold R, Schmidt H, Hoffmann K, Passarge E (2010). "Marfan syndrome with neonatal progeroid syndrome-like lipodystrophy associated with a novel frameshift mutation at the 3-prime terminus of the FBN1-gene". Am. J. Med. Genet. 152A (11): 2749–2755. doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.33690. PMID 20979188. S2CID 26408208.
  21. ^ Jacquinet A, Verloes A, Callewaert B, Coremans C, Coucke P, De Paepe A, Kornak U, Lebrun F, Lombret J, Pierard GE, Robinson PN, Symoens S, Van Maldergem L, Debray FG (2014). "Neonatal progeroid variant of Marfan syndrome with congenital lipodystrophy results from mutations at the 3' end of FBN1 gene". Eur. J. Med. Genet. 57 (5): 230–234. doi:10.1016/j.ejmg.2014.02.012. PMID 24613577.
  22. ^ "How do you define yourself? - Lizzie Velasquez at TEDxAustinWomen". TED. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016.
  23. ^ "Lizzie Velasquez". YouTube (website report of video views). Archived from the original on October 25, 2016.
  24. ^ a b Velasquez, Lizzie. "Be Beautiful, Be You". Liguori.org. Liguori Publications. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  25. ^ a b Velasquez, Lizzie. "Sé bella, sé tú misma". Liguori.org. Liguori Publications. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  26. ^ a b Velasquez, Lizzie. "Choosing Happiness". Liguori.org. Liguori Publications. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  27. ^ "Lizzie Velasquez's Challenge: Born Beautiful". Bystander Revolution. October 22, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2016.
  28. ^ "Lizzie Beautiful". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  29. ^ "Dare to Be Kind: How Extraordinary Compassion Can Transform Our World". publishersweekly.com. PWxyz, LLC. Retrieved November 6, 2017.
  30. ^ Hawkins, Kathleen (March 14, 2015). "'Bullies called me the world's ugliest woman online'". BBC News. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
  31. ^ "No More Bullying: Lizzie Velasquez Has New Show About Body Positivity". Rare Disease Report. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  32. ^ Unzipped with Lizzie Velasquez, retrieved February 22, 2019
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