A 14-year-old girl who was body-shamed by bullies in her New Jersey hometown took admirable measures at the weekend by posing with a smile next to the offending graffiti and posting it on her Instagram feed.
Carleigh O’Connell was told by friends at school that bullies had scrawled ‘Carleigh’s ass’ on a large rock on the beach in Wall, NJ. So, despite being upset, she decided to turn the hurtful experience into a positive one.
After Carleigh Instagrammed the picture, her mother Daryl posted it on her own Facebook page, explaining why her teen daughter shared the photo.
‘My daughter heard that her “rear end” “figure” “body shape” ....you can see the description for yourself in the photo ....was made fun of on a big rock at the beach. Well....it was true. She found it and knew it was hers since her name has a very distinct spelling. Many kids at school told her about it,’ she wrote.
‘She decided that she was going to be stronger than hurtful words on the concrete and that she was going to be proud of her figure,’ continued Daryl. ‘She also told me that she feels complete sympathy for the teenagers across the country who face this everyday. She understands and wants all of them to find strength inside to rise above the nastiness and be empowered by who you are, how you are made and what is in your heart.’
She asked that the post be shared by other Facebook users and so far it has been reposted almost 2,000 times.
‘I hope it travels across the country and can help one teenager who is bullied or the victim of hurtful things…Words can hurt but how you handle the words makes all the difference.’
Picture: Facebook
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.