TLC star Shauna Rae shares childhood trauma as she recounts being 'dragged to the bathroom' while grappling with her disability
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK STATE: TLC actress Shauna Rae has frequently discussed the challenges she encounters as a pituitary dwarf person. On Sunday night, she shared insights into the negative criticism she endured as a child. In response to a user's question about how her reaction to negative criticism has evolved over time, Shauna said, "As a kid, I didn't do well with it." However, she mentioned that as time passed, she became more accepting of her situation.
The 'I Am Shaun Rae' star elaborated, stating, "I did ok with it when it came to other people, but there were a lot of people in my main life that mocked, ridiculed, and just made fun of me." Shauna claims to not do ok while facing criticism as a kid. She added, "I viewed it as someone who cared about me making fun of me and it was really hard to come to terms with my disability." Shauna recalled her junior high school years, noting the absence of friends as everyone was occupied mocking her condition.
She recalls being "picked up and dragged almost to the boys' bathroom," recounting the horrifying incident where kids at school continued to fake interest in her condition, thinking it was humorous. Shauna's childhood experiences planted many negative thoughts towards herself and her disability. The reality star indeed "has a really hard time" dealing with negative criticism. Discussing her current situation, Shauna expresses, "Negative criticism now is nothing, but growing up, it almost ruined me. It's why I took a step back to find myself. It's why social media breaks are important to me."
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What disability does TLC star Shauna Rae have?
When Shauna was just 6 months old, she was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and successfully overcame the cancer, but the side effects affected her for a lifetime. Her pituitary gland became almost dormant, and she did not grow beyond 3 feet 10 inches. Shauna has pituitary dwarfism, which has left her with a childlike appearance.
What does 'I Am Shauna Rae' actress Shauna Rae do for a living?
The "I Am Shauna Rae" actress, Shauna Rae, has an estimated net worth of $100,000. Before her television appearances, Shauna focused on her studies and worked part-time at a coffee shop. She later secured a role as the character Young Girl in 'Lisey's Story.' Subsequently, Shauna had the opportunity to share her story and obtained her own show on TLC. It is speculated that she earns between $10,000 to $15,000 for each episode of 'I Am Shauna Rae.'
Are Shauna Rae and Dan Swygart still together?
No, Shauna and Dan Swygart are no longer in a relationship. They ended their relationship in April 2023. According to People, Dan mentioned that the lack of physical intimacy was a dealbreaker for the former couple. He stated, "We got very, very close on an emotional level. I mean, it never really got physical, we kissed once. Of course, I wasn't there for long periods of time, so it never really progressed into a relationship."
Dan also discussed facing heavy criticism while being in a relationship with Shauna. Regarding the breakup, he said, "They started attacking all the negative comments, and people started deleting the negative comments and, yeah, the rainy clouds disappeared and the sun started shining, and now it's all fine."
