Featured Image Credit: Instagram/danswygart
Topics: TV And Film, Sex and Relationships
Harley Young
A man who is dating a woman 'trapped in a kid's body' has hit back at critics who have been dubbing him a 'creep' on social media. Listen to what he has to say below:
Dan Swygart, 26, has been left with no other option but to defend his romance with Shauna Rae Lesick, a 23-year-old woman who's just 3ft 10in tall as he's been accused of being a 'creep' for being attracted to her 'because she looks like a kid'.
Swygart says he's dating Lesick for her personality rather than just her looks.
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Lesick had brain cancer treatment as a young infant, which caused the stunt in her growth, resulting in her weighing just 50 pounds and standing at the average size of an eight-year-old.
The treatment caused damage to her pituitary gland which caused her to develop pituitary dwarfism. Due to her disability, it has made things difficult for her when it comes to finding love.
Lesick has become somewhat of a celebrity after being the star of TLC series I Am Shauna Rae, in which she opened up about how her condition has affected her life.
Dan also featured in an episode where Shauna explained they had been seeing each other after he had slid into her DMs.
Swygart, from Wales in the United Kingdom, travelled to the US to meet Shauna and her family last year, but he has since been defending himself from internet trolls who 'aren't emotionally mature enough' to understand the couple's relationship and connection together.
When commenting on the situation, Swygart said in a video posted on Instagram: “It's very important to remember that Shauna is an incredible 23-year-old woman who has a disability.
“So as you are building a connection with her, it's important to acknowledge her disability and look past that and build it with who she is an individual.
“She's this incredible, inspiring 23-year-old woman who just happens to be a little bit short.”
When the episode was posted on YouTube, many viewers took to the comments section to share their disgruntled views on the relationship between Swygart and Lesick, describing it as 'concerning', 'weird' and 'creepy'.
One person even commented: "I'm sorry, but any man that wants to date her - there is definitely something not right with him.
"Yes, she is 23, but she looks and talks like an eight-year-old. She also does not act like a mature woman. She is childlike."
Swygart has continued to defend their relationship by adamantly sharing his views, saying: "As soon as you say that she can't have a real-world connection with someone else, you dehumanise her, which is absolutely disgusting."
Lesick's mother Patricia Schrankel has praised Swygart for bravely standing up for her daughter, saying: “Well said Dan. I appreciate your coming into our lives.”
Not everyone thinks the relationship is 'weird' though, with some viewers agreeing that the height difference isn't a problem.
One said: “So well said! You BOTH deserve to be happy. There’s too much judgement in this world. Wishing you both future happiness.”
Whilst another added: “Agree! I’m 3’11 and my husband is 6’3. When we first started dating everyone assumed we were together for the dumbest reasons.
"Just because a person is short, doesn’t define who we are as individuals and that we can’t have a normal life. Love is love.”