It seems that the world has become even more judgmental of people’s appearances due to the prevalence of social media and its constant stream of photos featuring supposedly flawless individuals.
Strangers’ comments on social media regarding a person’s physical appearance can make the world appear quite harsh, especially for those who don’t conform to the stereotypical “perfect” image.
View this post on Instagram
http://A post shared by Káh ✨ (@kah05oficial)
No one understands this better than Karine de Souza. This Brazilian woman has spent her entire life protecting herself from the sun by using SPF100 sunscreen, even when indoors.
At the age of three, Karine was diagnosed with Xeroderma Pigmentosum, a “one-in-a-million” condition that makes her extremely photosensitive. Even brief exposure to the sun can lead to severe sunburn, making it too risky for her to spend much time outside as a child.
“When I expose myself to the sun, I don’t feel anything in the moment. However, lesions appear in the future, which need to be removed because of cancer,” she explains.
Karine has lost her lower lip and a part of her nose due to sun damage, and she has undergone 130 surgeries to remove lesions.
Unfortunately, she faces more than just physical challenges. Karine is often subjected to verbal harassment and abuse from members of her local community and online.
Nevertheless, she has found happiness and love despite her hardships. Edmilson, the man she would later marry, discovered her on Facebook and was immediately captivated by her “story and her strength.” He has always supported Karine and has known from the start that she was the one he would spend his life with. Accepting Karine’s three children from a previous relationship was a significant step for him.
“He came and showed me that I could live a true love story,” she says.
However, when Karine posted pictures of them together online, she faced even more hurtful comments.
“We have already read many offensive comments calling me a monster, deformed, a zombie,” Karine said, as per the Daily Mail.
Some commenters even suggested that Karine was a “sugar mommy” because of her wealth, implying that their relationship wasn’t genuine.
“Because he’s a young and handsome man, that caught people’s attention, and they didn’t believe that he was with me because he really liked me,” Karine explained.
After the couple got engaged, a photographer took some pictures and posted them online with the following caption:
“In a world where appearance matters more than feelings, they met not by chance, but by a meeting of souls, an encounter of acceptance and character, and love blossomed when their souls connected. Today, you are an inspiration to so many people who don’t believe in themselves, in life, and especially in love.
THANK YOU every day for being who you are. STOP complaining about being who you are. EMBRACE LIFE and accept yourself. Much gratitude for teaching me so much. You guys are AMAZING. You are the hope that so many people were missing. Thank you for the warm hug and the wonderful day we shared together. I carry your smile with me forever.”