Lizzie Velasquez, a young woman suffering from a rare disease, has been mocked on social networks.

Her name is Lizzie Velasquez, she is twenty-seven years old and suffers from an extremely rare disease. This hereditary condition, which affects only two other people in the world, prevents her from storing fat, among other things.

The young woman, originally from Texas, is frequently mocked. At the age of 17, she was even nicknamed "the ugliest woman in the world" by Internet users. A "meme", a picture of her with a derogatory comment, has been circulating on the Internet.

"Michael said he'd meet me behind this tree for a little fun. He's running a little late. Can someone tag him on this picture and tell him I'm still waiting", it says next to the girl's picture. 

But Lizzie's not letting it get her down. She responds with a motivational message. "I write not as a victim but as someone who decides to speak up." The young woman, author of many books, reminds us that "those jokes" can hurt. 

"No matter how big we are, or what we look like at the end of the day, we're all human," she writes. "I'd like to ask you to keep that in mind the next time you see a picture of a stranger like this. You may find it very funny, but the person concerned will probably be feeling the exact opposite. Spread love, not hurtful words, through your screens."

The young woman had already distinguished herself several times by giving lectures on how people can perceive themselves.

Her message, posted on the social network Instagram, has been shared over 30,000 times. And many people have shown their support. "You're a diamond, congratulations Lizzie," reads Twitter. "Congratulations on that message, you're beautiful." Her story was the subject of a documentary, released on March 15, 2015 in the United States.