#wtxf

Lizzie Velasquez is reminding people of the power of social media after a Philadelphia-based news anchor called a photo of the motivational speaker and author “scary.” In a screenshot posted to her Instagram on Monday, Velasquez shared the hurtful message sent by WTXF anchor Jason Martinez when he responded to a selfie of hers. “God. That’s scary,” he wrote about the woman who has long been bullied for her looks as a result of a rare congenital disease. Velasquez reposted it in an effort to encourage more kindness. “I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say you didn’t mean to say this directly to me,” Velasquez wrote in her caption address to Martinez. “Since October is national anti bullying awareness month, let’s take this as a learning moment and remember even ‘joking’ like this to a friend can always end up hurting someone else.”