In recent months, a number of inspiring individuals have skyrocketed to the limelight because they simply don’t adhere to societal stereotypes. From a 61-year-old swimsuit model combatting ‘ageism’ to this 15-year-old ballerina combatting dance body stereotypes, they’re inspiring hundreds of thousands – if not millions – because of their confidence and passion.

Lizzy Howell might be a plus-size ballerina, but she can still pirouette and leap with the best of them. From Milford, Delaware, she has been dancing for ten years and recently attracted attention when a clip of her nailing a series of fouetté turns went viral on the internet.

She trains four days a week and studies jazz, ballet, and tap dancing. In addition to being an inspiration because her body isn’t the ‘norm’ of what one would typically expect a ballerina to look like, Howell is also inspiring people because she suffers from a condition called pseudotumor cerebri. The affliction causes excess fluid around the brain, and Lizzy deals with the stress that accompanies the illness by dancing. Because of her condition, she’s now an ambassador for Dancing for You, a disability awareness campaign.

People might attack Howell because she looks different, but we at True Activist thinks she’s worthy of applause because, despite all of the criticism, she continues to pursue what she loves.

Lizzy Howell is a 15-year-old dancer who loves jazz, ballet, and tap dancing.

One of the main reasons she dances is to deal with the stress from an affliction called pseudotumor cerebri, that causes excess fluid around the brain.

She might not look like a typical ballerina, but she can dance with the best of them.

Share this news if you’re inspired by Howell and her story.

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