Most of us assume that once we become adults we don’t have to worry about bullies anymore.
Sadly, that is not the case, and bullies can come out of nowhere to make people feel vulnerable and insecure.
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One woman’s story about how she was laughed at for simply wearing a bikini at a beach has gone viral and sparked an important conversation about body positivity .
Take a look at how this woman’s story shut down the haters once and for all.
Shelley Proebstel is a body-positive blogger from New Zealand.
She runs a Facebook page called Bald and Beautiful, which she started after deciding to shave off her hair for charity in 2018.
Besides raising money for charity, Shelley was also motivated to shave her hair to send a body-positive message to others.
Shelley gained a fair amount of media attention after shaving her head, but it was a recent trip to a beach that brought her viral fame.
In a Facebook post, Shelley detailed how a group of men pointed and laughed at her while she was wearing a bikini at the beach.
She didn’t mince words when it came to her response to these body-shamers.
“To the guys who pointed and laughed when I took my sarong off today at Mt Maunganui Beach, bearing my soul (my bikini body) to the world, I just want to say (excuse my language but) F**** YOU!” she wrote in her Facebook post.
Shelley didn’t hold back when she explained why these actions have such a negative effect on people and especially women.
“It’s because of people like you that women especially don’t feel safe or confident or comfortable to go out in society in something like a bikini, or a crop top (they probably aren’t even called that anymore!) or a short dress, or with their midriff showing,” she said .
Not only did she clap back at these haters, Shelley proved she is a role model for others.
“I won’t lie, there was a split second that I almost quickly covered up again, and then I reminded myself of all I have learnt on this journey, and I held my head high and stuck my belly out and wore that bikini with pride,” she said .
Since sharing her post on Facebook, Shelley’s story gained over 17,000 shares and nearly 10,000 comments.
Many people thanked Shelley for sharing her experience and that this message helped them with their own body-positive journeys.
A lot of people praised Shelley for her confidence and courage.
Sometimes, you need to use tough language to shut down the haters, but Shelley also proved that she can rise above them in a positive and constructive way.
Shelley is truly an inspiration to others.
Almost everyone, men and women included, struggles with their body image. We need role models like Shelley to show us that it’s okay to feel insecure but that we can embrace who we are.
Shelley also thanked her followers for helping her get her message out and shut down those haters once and for all.
“To all of those who responded on my behalf to all the hateful comments, thank you for taking a stand against bullying. Thank you for making a difference in a world that is too quick to judge,” she said .
Go, Shelley! This story must have been difficult to share but it made a huge difference and helped a lot of people.
Since she shared that initial post, Shelley has received so much feedback that she’s had to make a follow-up post.
In it, she wrote , “Wow! What an overwhelming response there has been to my post about wearing my bikini on Mount Maunganui Beach!! Honestly so much more than I could ever have imagined, it’s so humbling! It’s clear that this message and experience has struck a lot of people and that’s spread the message so far!”
“Amongst the predominantly positive responses, there has been – and always will be – the haters and the trolls who like to add their opinion,” she wrote.
“Unfortunately, that’s something I can’t change. So while those opinions might have been sent to knock me down or change my mind or stop me spreading this message, I want each and everyone of you to know that your comments only do the opposite! They inspire me to spread this message further.”
“And not that I have to justify myself to anyone, but I would just like to make it very clear that I’m a very fit and healthy person,” she explained.
She explained how she leads a healthy lifestyle, and that her body is not the product of poor choices, “I eat very nutritiously and I put a lot of time into preparing healthy and nutritious meals. I am a lot fitter and healthier than a lot of “skinny” people. My weight has nothing to do with poor life choices.”
“So to all the haters- thank you, once again,” she wrote.
“For proving my point – that the people in society and there inaccurate and assumptive judgements are what’s wrong with the world, and why so many people struggle with body image issues.”
“To all the people who posted positive, supportive and inspiring comments- thank you for being the type of person we need in this world.”
“Thank you for building those around you up and making this world a better place to live. Thank you for making a difference in a world that is too quick to judge.”
