There is a horrible new meme trend making the rounds on Facebook that makes fun of real (mostly) women for their looks - now one of the people targeted by it has hit back.
Lizzie Valesquez was caught up in this negative social media craze after someone posted a photo of her online. The meme encourages users to tag their friends and poke fun at the victims of the post.
Lizzie, who was born with a rare medical condition that prevents her body from storing fat, is a motivational speaker and staunch anti-bullying advocate. She wasn't going to take it lying down - so she wrote a powerful speaking out against the hurtful meme:
"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," she said in her Facebook post.
"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."
The BBC has reported that Facebook has been shutting down the groups responsible for circulating the sinister memes.
- nzherald.co.nz