Shauna Rae is a 25-year-old woman who is the size of an 8-year-old child; she has a condition called pituitary dwarfism, which she was diagnosed with at 16 years old.
She developed the condition after she suffered brain cancer at just 6 months old, and the life-saving chemotherapy left her pituitary gland dormant, which stunted her growth.
As she reached the age of 16, her bones permanently fused, which left her standing at just 3ft10 and weighing only 50lbs.
During a recent interview on The Unplanned Podcast, she discussed how she tries to avoid paedophiles when searching for a partner and also overcoming an abusive relationship she endured.
She revealed to the hosts, Matt and Abby, that she has to read into any man who is interested in her because there is a chance that it could be about her size.
“It’s very easy to be prey in this world as a tiny little girl, and my parents taught me that from a very young age.”
“They were like, ‘look… any guy that’s interested in you, any person that’s interested in you, you have to read into them.'”
“‘Because there’s a chance that it’s about your size.'”
“I grew up knowing that, and that was scary,” she added.
“I was scared to date. I was scared to flirt with anyone.”
Shauna added that she had to build a friendship first as her parents told her you need to build a base bond with someone first.
While discussing her first-ever relationship, she disclosed how it turned abusive and how she was “used to being in abusive situations.”
“I was in a very abusive relationship; it started with physically grabbing my wrists and then getting mad at video games.”
She added that it then escalated to him “punching the couch” that she was right next too then next thing she knew it was no longer the couch, it was her that was being hit.
The host, Matt, then asked whether she had ever been punched, to which she replied, “Yeah.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” she said as the host reacted with shock.
“It’s fine for me now.”
“I was very used to being in abusive situations, because I’ve been neglected a lot by the public.”
“I’ve always been told that I was less,” she said.
“I let myself be in an abusive relationship because I admitted defeat.”
She recalls calling herself “worthless” and feeling that she didn’t deserve better, believing that someone else would just do the same.
Despite the struggles she has endured, she recently celebrated two years with her boyfriend, whose identity remains private, in a sweet post shared on her personal Instagram account.
“Halloween was our anniversary but Happy two years to my best friend!”
“I love you a lot baby and I hope you’ve enjoyed this really crazy ride we’ve been on.”
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