Shauna Rae on Whether Her Dwarfism Affects Her Life Expectancy — and Why Her Size Makes It Hard to Like Hugs
"A lot of people when they go to hug me, or say hi to me, they pick me up ... you don’t need to do all that," Shauna Rae said in an Instagram video
Shauna Rae/Instagram
Shauna Rae is addressing some of the biggest questions on fan’s minds — from her life expectancy to strangers invading her personal space.
The 3’11” TLC star said people often try to lift her off the ground, whether they know her or not. Answering a fan question about whether people ever try to “pick her up,” the I Am Shauna Rae star responded with an overwhelming yes.
“That happens all the time,” she said. “A lot of times, it’s the older generations that do it, and therefore, I’m kind of understanding.”
She compared it to a “pinch your cheeks” kind of interaction — not an intentional violation of space.
“A lot of people when they go to hug me, or say hi to me, they pick me up ... you don’t need to do all that. That’s — it’s a lot of work. And honestly, it’s one of the reasons why I don’t like hugs as well. Because a lot of people pick me up with hugs.”
Shauna Rae/Instagram
Shauna is a 23-year-old who was diagnosed with cancer as a child. It led to pituitary dwarfism when the growth of her pituitary gland was stunted. Because of this, Shauna appears younger than her age.
In another video, Shauna confirmed, “As far as I know, my disability does not affect my age expectancy. At the same time, my disability, it’s very unknown.”
I Am Shauna Rae follows some of Shauna’s life challenges, many of which are common to an average 20something, including moving out of her parents’ home, dating and learning to drive.
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I Am Shauna Rae can be streamed on discovery+ and Max.
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