4 Times Your Fave Celebs Got Real About Bullying
There for whatever life throws at you.
It can be easy to forget that, before they hit the big time, your favourite celebs were living normal lives, going through the things young people go through on the daily. Unfortunately, that sometimes meant dealing with bullying.
But so many of our brave faves are using their platform to educate and remind us that it does get better and there are healthy ways to get through it.
Whether you’re going through a hard time or know someone who is, you can learn a few helpful coping strategies from four times your fave celebs got real about bullying.
#1 Osher Günsberg
Sometimes even the most confident folk have been affected by bullying. We know our mate Osher Günsberg as the cool, confident (and super ripped) host of The Bachelor, but he’s been incredibly open about the mental health struggles he’s faced, including coping with bullying about his weight and the body image issues that accompanied it.
“Like anybody who went through childhood or adolescence overweight, there’s definitely shame and embarrassment,” Osher told The Daily Telegraph back in 2016.
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The Bachy star urges anyone with any concerns to take the first step and seek help. “Help is at hand. And by seeking help for yourself or someone else, you can get on the right path to recovery.”
Jackie Hallan, Senior Program Manager at ReachOut, says that while it can be really tough to open up, but it can make you to feel a lot better.
“Choose someone who you trust and think about what help you want from them.”
Osher survived his hard times and is living proof that things do get better with time, self-love and the right support.
#2 Kesha
While Kesha’s career has seen some ups and downs, the one thing that has never changed is her stance on bullying.
In an interview with Seventeen, Kesha told readers: “I’m all about standing up to gay/lesbian/transgender bullying, but it’s also about my little brother.
“He’s 13 and he gets made fun of because he has a stutter. I just have zero tolerance for people making fun of others.”
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Hallan says Kesha’s response was absolutely on-point:
“Bullying will usually stop in minutes when a friend or someone watching steps up and gets involved. You can stop bullying in its tracks.”
Go, girl.
#3 Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez is one of the most famous and most-followed pop stars in the world, but even she isn’t impervious to bullying.
“You can’t avoid [the negative comments] sometimes,” Gomez told the New York Times in 2017.
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“Imagine all the insecurities that you already feel about yourself and having someone write a paragraph pointing out every little thing.”
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The pop star says not giving them attention makes you stronger in the long run.
“People are going to bring you down because of your drive. Ultimately, it makes you a stronger person to turn your cheek and go the other way,” she says.
Hallan says Selena Gomez has the right idea. “Try turning off push notifications, logging off from the accounts that are most affected by trolling, or deleting social media apps from your phone and only logging on when you’re at home.”
#4 Lorde
New Zealand-born singer Lorde has created a brand around being a pop oddity, but says that it doesn’t stop people from trying to tear her down.
“I’m not completely impervious to insult,” Lorde told Rolling Stone. “I’m a human.”
“I get paralysingly nervous a lot of times,” the singer continued. “The way I dress and carry myself, a lot of people find it strange or intimidating.”
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Next time you’re going through a hard time, just remember you’re not alone. It’s easy to forget that so many people are going through the same struggles – like your fave celebs. Use these stories to draw strength, and reach out for the support you deserve.
All of these iconic celebreties are kicking total butt – you can too.
Draw strength from knowing even some of your fave celebs have experienced and overcome bullying, and don’t be afraid to reach out to a friend, family member, or professional when you need support.
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(Lead image: Channel Ten)
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ReachOut.com is there for whatever life throws at you.