Shauna Rae has spoken out about the struggles of dating while living with pituitary dwarfism.
The 26-year-old reality star weighs around 50 pounds and stands just 3ft 10 inches tall.
She first shot to fame in 2022 through her TLC show I Am Shauna Rae.
The series followed her life, her medical history, and her journey toward independence.
A second season showed Rae trying to date while balancing the unique challenges of her condition.
And she hasn’t held back on the attention she receives from so-called “creeps.”
‘People Don’t Understand That I’m An Adult’
Rae’s story has drawn widespread sympathy online.
One fan said: “It’s so sad because she deserves to be loved and experience relationships.”
Another added: “She’s just a person like anyone else, I’m sure she just wants to be looked at that way.”
Rae was born with brain cancer and underwent chemotherapy as a child.
That treatment damaged her pituitary gland, leaving her with pituitary dwarfism.
Because of this, strangers often compare her to an eight-year-old instead of a grown woman.
“People don’t understand that I’m an adult,” she said in one episode of her show.
In an interview with the New York Post, Rae said: “If you look at me, you see an eight-year-old.
“But I think if you take the time to look at the details in my face, in my hands, the maturity in my body – and I think if you take the time to actually talk to me – you really understand that I’m [an adult].”
Unfortunately, Rae admitted most people never get past first impressions.
At restaurants, staff often give her children’s menus, crayons, and plastic cups.
Speaking to People, she said: “They just immediately think ‘child’ but it happens all the time.”
Struggles With Fertility And Costs
Rae has also faced other health issues connected to her past treatment.
Although she doesn’t currently want children, she has explored fertility options.
In a YouTube video, she revealed her egg count was “very low.”
She had hoped to freeze her eggs during season two of I Am Shauna Rae.
But she couldn’t go through with it due to the steep costs.
“I wanted to go through with getting my eggs frozen to save a chance if I want to have children.
“I want the same opportunities as anyone else.
“But I learned that at that time… my insurance would not cover anything, and the medicine alone would be $9000 or something dollars, and it was a total that came to close to $15,000 to $20,000 and I did not have the funds at that point to go through with the procedure on my own.”
Rae explained she’s still thinking about her options.
“I’ve been lately having a lot of thoughts about if I do want a family and if I do want a baby that looks like me, or if I want to go through adoption or whatever.
“You know, at the end of the day, I genuinely don’t care… a child, someone to raise, someone to grow with, in a sense, is all in the same for me.”
To help fund the procedure, Rae has now launched a GoFundMe.
She is also raising money for much-needed dental implants.
The fundraiser states: “I don’t have longer than six or so months until I potentially become infertile… Anything at all can help towards a healthy future for myself.”
Rae Reveals Secret Relationship
Despite the hardships, Rae has shared that she is now in a relationship.
She kept it private for some time but recently confirmed the news on Instagram.
In the post, she hid her partner’s face but expressed how important they are to her.
“All you really need to know is they make me happy and I don’t know if I’d be as far in my goals without them.
“Please know that all I ask from y’all is to support me and refrain from being hateful toward them or my relationship.”
Before meeting her new partner, Rae had opened up about the struggles of dating.
She explained that many people don’t take her seriously because of her appearance.
But with this relationship, Rae says she finally feels supported.
Her story continues to inspire many fans who admire her openness, resilience, and honesty.
You can donate to Shauna Rae’s GoFundMe here.
Featured image credit: TLC & @thereal_shaunarae99/Instagram
