Inspire Me #3
Valeria Levitin
So , you think words can only hurt people ?
Take a look at Valeria Levitin , a victim of bullying .
How did this happen ? Take a look at her , when she was 19 .
She should probably be a UK8 ~ 10 , which is the same size as I am .
But still , I think that she looks beautiful the way she was .
So , how did she turn from this beautiful girl -> a victim of anorexia ? WORDS .
From young , her mother was pressuring her to watch her weight ; in fear that she would be " fat " like her relatives . After which , her classmates and schoolmates started to make fun of her ; even though she isn't that big of a size . At age 23 , she dropped from a Size 12 to a Size 6 . You think it's the perfect size ? She pushed herself further because .. people in the modelling industry still thinks she's too fat .
The photo above was from her modelling attempts .
Why did I choose to blog about her ? How about you watch this video before I share with you .
If you have read my previous post , you'll know that the person on the left is Lizzie ; and she looks that way because of a health condition that SHE WAS BORN WITH .
However , Valeria has a health condition that SHE FELL INTO .
So .. my reason ?
She is anorexic because of what people told her .. because people thought about the " perfect size " . In reality , the " perfect size " doesn't exist because nothing is perfect to begin with . What inspires others is that , she is trying to STOP people from getting eating disorders . And .. I want to help her spread this as well .
She has FAN MAILS . You know , mails that people get when they ADMIRE you . Yes , I admire her too ; but not for the same reason .
The following is taken from one of her fan mails .
" Hello dear Valeria,
I am 23 and weigh 8½st and I do not like myself this way. I want to look skinny like Thumbelina. Nobody can persuade me not to diet, even though I acquired gastritis and pancreatitis.I have tried all kinds of diets but they all yielded only temporary results. On my present diet I do not feel hungry eating 10½oz to 14oz of food per day, I cannot return to my old way of eating because I fear I will gain weight.
All my relatives are telling me it will hurt me, that I will be a victim of anorexia. I am a little worried that one day I will be faced with a problem of critically low weight and I want to know when to get worried. When did it happen to you? "
To find out more about Valeria Levitin , you can visit : http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/real_life/4702938/anorexic-gets-fan-mail-from-girls-wanting-to-look-like-her.html
"I get fan mail from young girls asking how to look like me... but I won’t teach them to die"
- Valeria Levitin