“I saw myself in the mirror and started to cry. My stomach stuck out. My body jiggled. I was introduced to diet pills, skinny teas, calorie counting. It was more important to shrink myself than to be happy or healthy.”
‘People yelled from their cars, ‘Fatty!’ It was clear I was the ‘fat one.’ I thought if I lost weight, the bullying would stop.’: Woman shares self-love journey, ‘I deserve love at any size’
‘I wish you’d die, no one likes you.’ A hate page contained LOADS of info on me. The police got involved.’: Cystic Fibrosis warrior details journey, ‘Now I have time to start a family’
“‘She’ll be lucky to make it to 31.’ I curled up into a ball in her arms and sobbed. I was only 8.”
‘I sat behind moms at my daughter’s game. They commented on everything she did wrong, how with ‘that height’ she should be doing a.b.c. ‘Why would the coach leave her in?’: Mom urges ‘choose kindness’ after adult bullying incident
“I sat there fuming and almost ready to say something or cry.”
‘My teacher told the class, ‘You will never meet anyone with AIDS.’ I sat silently screaming in my head, ‘I HAVE IT. YOU KNOW ME!’: HIV ‘stigma warrior’ details journey with virus
“I was getting ready for senior prom when I started throwing up. I slipped out of my Bebe cocktail dress and into sweats. My vision faded. The doctors warned, ‘You’ve gone blind. We have no idea if your vision will come back.’ Soon, I was told I’d be moved to hospice. ‘You’re going to die.'”
‘Mama’s only human. I can’t promise I won’t ever let bad thoughts creep in or have bad days. But I can promise I’ll always be there.’: Autism mom pens open letter to kids
“You never noticed when the neighborhood kids were annoyed with you. I dragged you inside so they wouldn’t see me cry. I would take all the pain if it meant you felt none of it.”
‘They let children go to TWO MEN? And she’s BLACK!’ She stood with a pen in one hand and paper in the other.’: Gay dads encounter judgement, ‘See the love, not the people”
“’How’d you get her?’ I responded, ‘We adopted her.’ Her eyes bulged. ‘I’m just in shock. TWO WHITE MEN?’’
‘She’ll never have a boyfriend!’ My dad rushed out of the room. It looked like I’d been punched in the cheek.’: Woman with Port Wine Stain overcomes bullying, ‘Be kind to yourself’
“A classmate pointed at my birthmark and laughed, ‘Is that dried spaghetti sauce all over your face?’ My face was blotchy and far from perfect. I was mortified.”
‘You were born for our entertainment.’ An avalanche of mean comments poured in. It was crushing.’: Woman with dwarfism ‘determined’ to spread awareness
“With a smile, my dad said, ‘You’re going to be tiny all your life.’ It didn’t usually bother me. I found acceptance and kindness at nearly every turn. And then I went viral.”
‘I’m worried to give you the spot because of your hearing.’ I was mortified. I needed to prove him wrong.’: Student with hearing loss becomes advocate, ‘I’m proud of myself’
“The coach pulled me aside. ‘You have the skills, but I’m worried you’ll miss commands.’ I wasn’t about to let someone make assumptions based on my disability.”
‘Anthony was the ‘throw away child,’ in and out of foster care since 4 years old. I felt God calling on me: ‘He is yours.’: Family adopt teen stuck in foster care, ‘He’ll forever live in my heart’
“At 6 years old, his brother died of child abuse. He was separated from his sisters, adopted without him. People could not see the child he was going to become. They only saw the broken child. ‘Is he available for adoption?’ I was ready to be his mama.”
