Tayla Clement, a social media influencer from New Zealand, is known for her gorgeous bathing suits, sun kissed skin and her inability to smile.
Clement has a rare disorder called Moebius Syndrome that affects 1 in 4,000,000 people each year. Moebius Syndrome is a rare neurological condition that primarily affects the muscles controlling facial expressions and eye movement.
In various posts on her social media the rising modeling sensation shares that she has no movement in her eyebrows or upper lip and can’t move her eyes from left to right. Clement is using her platform to educate others on her condition. She’s also an advocate for diabetes awareness.
The effects of Moebius syndrome can include:
- inability to move eyes from left to right
- difficulty making eye contact
- wondering eye
- eyelids might not close
- bone abnormalities in hands and feet
- weak muscle tone, aka hypotonia
- hearing loss
Clement recently signed with Zebedee Talent, a revolutionary modeling agency known for representing people with disabilities, visible differences, alternative appearances and LGBTQIA talent.
“People would bring plastic bags to school and put it over my head because I was so ugly,” Clement told ABC News. Despite the bullying, the 24 year old continued to move forward and shine a light on her condition as one of the most popular accounts to follow on Instagram.
Clement is one of many social media influencers who are blazing a path for acceptance of all body types and conditions. “I love to be able to inspire people, it lights me up. IF I could smile I would have the biggest smile on my face all the time,” Clement said.
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