Yesterday, Kali posted a photo that made Tumblr stop in its tracks.
"Sorry if I make your dash ugly!" she joked, before launching into her powerful story. Kali was born with a lymphatic disorder that causes excess fluid to build up in her face, giving her a tumor-like physical condition.
“Are you wearing a mask?”
“When are you getting your face fixed?”
“Look at that girl! She looks so weird…”
These are the three most common reactions to my appearance.
My name is Kali, I am 18, I am a Korean-American, and I… look different.
Kali described years of experiencing rejection from her peers. She says she's even been rejected by her fellow classmates in college, where she's a first-year prospective biology major.
I went to a summer math program when I was 14 and was assigned a roommate. The moment I walked into the dorm room, she spoke to one of our counselors and requested a roommate change.
I never cried so hard in my life.
...
I’ve struggled to fit in at college for this reason- that people still feel hesitant to talk to me because of my appearance. They say rude things behind my back. I had grown up with the same people from elementary school through high school, so people were used to me. I hoped people would learn to accept me in college, but I haven’t found that yet.
You can’t exactly tell [redacted] students that they’re stupid, can you?
But Kali's goal in posting her story wasn't to complain about other people's poor judgment. Instead, she wants to celebrate herself.
A book is more than its cover. I’m a Starbucks addict. I play three instruments. I write poetry. And you wouldn’t know that by looking at my face.
...
I guess the reason I’m posting this is to introduce myself, and to tell my story. I don’t want to be an inspiration. I’m not a hero.
I’ve simply learned to accept myself.
Maybe Kali doesn't think of herself as a hero, but the staggering 120,000 Tumblr users who've shared her post in less than 24 hours clearly disagree. Her post has prompted an outpouring of praise, gratitude, and encouragement.
Although some users have expressed concern that Kali's post was a hoax, she shared photos of her college ID and a mirror selfie to prove them wrong.
So far, the responses Kali has shared on her Tumblr since "introducing" herself have been overwhelmingly positive. Again and again, the word most often used by Tumblr users who are sharing her post is simply: "Beautiful."
"Tbh people like you make me feel really bad about myself bc you're legit perfect in every single way while I'm standing here trying to get my shit together," wrote one Tumblr user. "I'd never mind dating someone like you or you," wrote another Tumblr user, in response to Kali's complaints about her lack of a social life.
"I’m basically guy repellant," she joked.
Update 2:01pm PT, May 4: Due to the overwhelming response her post generated, Kali has deleted her Tumblr post and related images. Out of respect for her privacy, we've granted her request to remove the photos and other identifying personal details from our original report.
"It was not my intention for the post to go viral in the first place," Kali told the Daily Dot. "It was only meant for a small group of people (at the time of initial posting I only had approximately 200 followers)."
Illustration by Max Fleishman