I've always wanted to start a blog, but the real reason that I finally decided to do this is because of a video I watched a few days ago of a young lad, Keaton Jones. Yeah yeah, I know, what is a small town farm girl's blog compared to a viral video? I know I can't have as much of an impact, but I have been trying and I will continue to fight against bullying. I pray that Keaton's story becomes as famous as these "Cash me outside" remixes, and whatever else has become popular for absolutely no reason.
This kid is really strong, but as I've mentioned in Keaton's support pages, it's not only about him, it's about people all over the world and I hope the pain in this poor boy's eyes can appeal to at least one bully to just stop. These scars never heal. Victims are forever self-conscious, insecure and afraid because of a few seconds of "fun" for some nasty kid. This is not okay. People need to learn to see all the different kinds of beauty and embrace it instead of all conforming to one standard set out by society, because who is "society" if not all of us? That includes skinny, fat, tall short, transgender, disable, burn victims, tattoo'd, old, young, stretch marks, cellulite, albino, dark, white, red heads.. we are ALL the society we're trying to impress, so why not do it for yourself? Be who you are proud of. Remove ego and pride, but be comfortable in your own skin. Let society change to accept your uniqueness.
I'm 21 and only now did the effects of childhood bullying wear off and it wasn't easy. I used to be bullied for being skinny, for being hairy, for being a tomboy, I got called stupid and weak all the time and I had to become a model to prove to myself that I was more than what society perceived me as. Even now when people whisper I still assume they're laughing at me (my mom always says it's because they're just jealous lol, bless her soul) and that's why I don't like people looking at me. My coping mechanisms were somewhat self-destructive and I just isolated myself from everyone and got into a lot of unnecessary fights. One way or another, with help and support from someone who used to be very dear to me, I overcame my insecurities, and now I'm skinny and proud as the people who bullied me have to go on these extreme diets, I'm hairy and proud as they draw on their eyebrows every morning and I'm a tomboy and proud for no other reason that I remained true to myself. In terms of my intellectual capacity and strength? I have nothing to prove.
I didn't do anything to get back at them nor did I change who I was. To all victims of bullies I want you to remember the wise words of Alessia Cara in scars to your beautiful, "You should know you're beautiful just the way you are, and you don't have to change a thing, the world could change its heart". Be strong and remember you can make it through this. Speak to an adult or councilor to help you. You're not weak if you ask for help, you're just being mature enough to take care of your mental well-being.
I have always been mentally and emotionally strong but imagine what it's like for kids that aren't? Imagine what happens if that was the last straw? How would you, as a bully, feel if you didn't know that this kid was going through the most at home and he came to school and you made fun of his nose or whatever and that afternoon he committed suicide? His blood would be on your hands. Have we learned nothing from 13 Reasons Why?
Young children are suffering from anxiety, paranoia, depression, etc. Young children are killing themselves! Innocence ripped from an otherwise twisted world and it's all because people don't realize how serious bullying is.
We are civilized creatures, we take care of our sneakers, iPhones and egos, we say "men are trash" when they rape women, we encourage integration instead of segregation, we stand up for our LGBT community, we even fight to legalize weed. Here's the next movement that I encourage all people with any amount of influence to initiate... #STOPBULLYING!