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National Day Against Bullying: the celebs who have been there and the tips to deal with it

Today, 7 February, the National Day against Bullying and Cyberbullying is celebrated, established by the Ministry of Education to combat violence at school and online.

Pushing, teasing, insults and sexist jokes are increasingly frequent, despite the lockdown and the pandemic. The latest data collected byIndifesa Observatory of Terre des Hommes and yes Schoolin fact, they show an increase in episodes of overwhelm in presence and especially online. Among the girls, then, there is the constant fear of Revenge porn, which by Italian law is in effect a crime. The positive side is that days like this serve to raise the awareness of teenagers and parents, even if the road to breaking down the bully mentality is still long and tortuous. Listening to the stories of those who have suffered from a hater, of those who have been denigrated for their physical appearance or for the color of their skin, but faced it with courage and determination, can only help everyone. To remind you that you are not alone and that there is always a way to get out of it while remaining true to yourself, here are the tips from celebs who have faced bullying without fear.

ED SHEERAN

The pop star was bullied in elementary school. He told it in a recent interview for the Love music hate racism campaign: «I cried every day. They made fun of me because of my red hair, because I wore glasses and stammered. I was a tad bit eccentric, I hated that period of my life with all of myself. In addition I was completely denied for the sport and at the time among my teammates the better you were at playing football, the more popular you were ». Believing in himself, however, led him to success: “My quirks have made me what I am.” Trust yourself and love all your features, they make you unique and you are perfect like that.

ZAYN MALIK

For years he has supported and financed several campaigns against bullying because he knows very well what it feels like to be afraid. When he went to school, the singer was targeted by his classmates because of his foreign origins and his religious faith. Unfortunately, this continued even years later, when he was the victim of some racist insults on the web. Many times Zayn and the others One Direction they went around the educational institutions of the Great Britain to explain in a loud voice to all the children that violence is fought together, “because unity is strength”.

DUA LIPA

The British pop star was the victim of cyberbullying, the real scourge of the social era, at the beginning of her career. But he hasn’t forgotten it yet, so much so that today he decided not to personally manage the accounts and profiles on the web anymore: «It happened after the first video clip. It filled me with anxiety, upset me and made me feel inadequate, as if I wasn’t worth enough to go on stage ». Over time, however, she understood that haters gonna hate and that only our reaction makes the difference: «It was a difficult moment but I’m also grateful to this experience because it made me much stronger and more confident: now I know that I’m good at what I do ».

TOM HOLLAND

At 12, the actor was the absolute star of the musical version of Billy Elliot, the story of a boy who dreams of becoming a dancer when he grows up, but is hindered by his father, a proud supporter of machismo and toxic machismo. Due to his skills and his passion for dance, just like the character he played on stage, he was the victim of insults and vulgar comments from his schoolmates: “They didn’t hit me so much that I stopped, though “. How do you say? You can’t stop the beat.

BELLA HADID

For years, the supermodel has had to defend herself from criticism from internet haters. A couple of years ago, under a photo of him with Kendall Jenner, a user had written a rather insulting comment, accusing them of being just two fake and superficial girls. Her response as a true queen was not long in coming: «I wish you knew our personality, and beyond that, I especially wish you had a heart… I wish you the best, honey. Jealousy is a request for help and I would love to help you ». He promptly deleted the comment.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA

from L’ Miss World 2000 she was bullied in high school when she moved from India to America. For some time she was literally stalked by a schoolmate, with lots of insults and shoving against lockers, just because the boy she liked actually had a crush on. Priyanka: «It made my life into hell, it made me feel like I was worthless, it didn’t make me feel at ease with myself. In telling it, I hope that no other kid should feel the way I did. “

SHAWN MENDES

The Canadian pop star was the victim of abuse and harassment by schoolmates and haters during the early years of her career, when she posted videos of her performances on YouTube. “They met me in the corridors and shouted ‘Sing for me, sing for me.’ It’s horrible to make someone feel uncomfortable just because they do what they love. ‘ The important thing is to never give up.

KIM PETRAS

A few years ago, the life of the German pop star turned into a media fuss: when she was 16, Kim Petras he asked for authorization to start the gender transition process, prohibited by German law until reaching the age of majority. She completed the surgery in 2008 and this – unfortunately – led her to be bullied by her classmates: «But the music saved me. I would come home in tears, then watch a video of Gwen Stefani and feel better. I had no friends, but pop helped me to face every problem ».

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