Lizzie Velásquez Speaks Out Against Hurtful Internet Memes

Lizzie Velázquez is speaking out against the currently trending memes that target obese, disfigured, or in some way non-mainstream people.

> WATCH: LIZZIE VELÁZQUEZ’S uINTERVIEW

A popular trend has become creating a meme with a stereotypically unattractive person, with words such as, “I’m looking for (name), can you tag him/her?” Velázquez herself was featured in some of the memes.

Velázquez has come into pop culture knowledge because of her looks. She is 5 foot 2 and weighs in at about 60 pounds, as she was born with a rare disease called neonatal progeroid syndrome, a condition that prevents her from accumulating any body fat at all.

Hello beautiful world ????It’s time to change the way we communicate! I’m teaming up with AT&T to block out negativity and spread some love ??And so can you! Use this @later_haters Snapchat geofilter on your high school campus and post your screenshot on social! And don’t forget to tag @later_haters and use the hashtag #LaterHaters

A video posted by Lizzie Velasquez (@littlelizziev) on Dec 6, 2016 at 8:55am PST

Ten years ago, Velázquez was featured in a video that hailed her “the world’s ugliest woman.” Since then, the 27-year-old has become an author and motivational speaker about her struggles. Velázquez took to Instagram to post the meme of herself along with words condemning the heartless posts, and to offer support to those being made fun of, like herself.

“No matter what we look like or what size we are, at the end of the day we are all human. I ask that you keep that in mind the next time you see a viral meme of a random stranger,” she wrote.

I’ve seen a ton of memes like this all over @facebook recently. I’m writing this post not as someone who is a victim but as someone who is using their voice. Yes, it’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 wouldn’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. 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

A photo posted by Lizzie Velasquez (@littlelizziev) on Dec 11, 2016 at 12:07am PST