About
The Hartley Hooligans are a pair of sisters, Claire and Lola Hartley, born with microcephaly, a medical condition which is signified by a head circumference several standard deviations below the average.[1] The sisters, both of whom have various other medical conditions such as Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, epilepsy and scoliosis. Due to their microcephaly have become infamous on the Internet for their physical deformities as well as what is seen as an exploitative attitude from their parents.
Internet Presence
The Hartley Hooligans blog was created in 2005 by Claire and Lola’s mother Gwen Hartley, though it remained mostly inactive until 2011; in 2012, the blog was voted #17 on a poll about the funniest parenting blogs by the website Circle of Moms.[2][3] A Facebook page for the girls was started on February 9, 2011, the same day the first new post to the blog in several years was posted.[4] On August 21, the first video of the girls was uploaded to Gwen Hartley’s YouTube account, though the account had existed since 2007.[5]
In 2014, the girls rose to prominence with the video “World’s Smallest Ninja”, in which their father Scott Hartley plays with Lola as if she were a ninja to the amusement of an off-screen audience. The video has over 160,000 views as of July 2015.[6]
Criticisms
The mother Gwen Hartley(pictured) and her husband has been accused of exploiting both her disabled children via gifts and state allowances
Personal Lives
Claire Hartley was born in 2001 and was diagnosed with microcephaly at three months old.[7] Lola was born in 2006 and was diagnosed with the same condition while still in the womb.[8] The sisters also have an older brother born 1998 , named Cal, who is not affected by microcephaly.[9]
Claire
Claire was born July 25 2001 after a normal pregnancy and delivery. Upon her birth, doctors immediately knew she had microcephaly. She has been diagnosed with dwarfism , Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy, epilepsy, scoliosis, and Cortical Visual Impairment.[7]
Lola
Lola was born one month prematurely on April 28, 2006.[8]
Search Interest
External References
[1]Wikipedia – Microcephaly
[3]Circle of Moms – Top 25 Funny Moms – 2012
[4]Facebook – The Hartley Hooligans
[6]YouTube – World’s Smallest Ninja
[7]The Hartley Hooligans – Claire