CAREDon't Let Beauty Bullying Beat You
The effects of cyberbullying, and how it's taking over Instagram
katem
We’ve all experienced bullying. Whether you’ve been the target of bullying yourself, or watched a friend or family member be bullied, you know how destructive it can be. Every time I post a picture on Instagram, I am forced to accept that it will be judged. Not just the filter or the caption, but what I look like and whether it conforms to a stereotypical understanding of ‘beauty.’ But what happens when that judgment goes a step further?
Just Trying To Fit In
Our sense of self worth is so defined by how we are perceived on social media. As much as I don’t like to admit it, there is a thrill that comes with each like received on a post. When you think about it, it goes against everything we’re taught. You’re more than your looks, beauty goes beneath the surface…and suddenly I’m sitting there waiting for approval from total strangers on Instagram. Sounds crazy right? What makes it worse is that you’re putting yourself out there for total judgement, good and bad. All it takes is one nasty comment to make you want to delete the photo and ruin your day. I’ve seen first hand how these comments can destroy my friends self esteem and change the way they see themselves. I’ve experienced it myself.
I Will Not Be Deleted
My friends and I are not alone. Every year, 115 million images are deleted from social media as a result of cyberbullying. 1 in 4 women have experienced it. And it’s only reported 44% of the time. Rimmel’s ‘I Will Not Be Deleted’ campaign uses real stories from real women. It includes bloggers, celebrities and everyday social media users because beauty bullying affects people from all walks of life. Global digital director for Rimmel Ankita Sayal said, “We felt that now was the perfect time to give it a voice. A voice that is loud and clear that it is not okay to shame someone for the choice they have made to express themselves.”
I love this campaign. It isn’t going to fix every problem on social media right away but it takes a stand against the beauty bullying that happens every single day. So here’s to posting pictures without fear, and embracing your own definition of beauty whatever that may be.
Do you have a beauty bullying story? Share it in the comments.
Comment 1
Never personally happened to me, but it's such a shame that things like this happen. No matter what others say, you are absolutely beautiful the way you are because remember that "perfect" doesn't exist.