Prior years have demonstrated that the world did not pay much mind to bullying. Essentially, the public would chalk the atrocity up to being part of growing up and to let it pass, but the victims of the cruelty were far from accepting of their painful reality. Currently, the public has realized that bullying is unacceptable and that ignoring the bully will not make them go away but will instead allow them to continue their reign of terror, further emphasizing the reality that picking on others is no longer to be tolerated. Unfortunately, bullies will always exist until people begin doing their part to alleviate the problem, which is exactly what two teenagers did.
Elena and Austin are teenagers who suffer from a rare condition known as Goldenhar syndrome, an affliction that stems from the underdevelopment of the mandible, lips, nose, soft palette, and ears. Occurring in only one percent of births, this condition is obviously rare, but it drastically transforms the outward appearance of people. However, it does not alter their souls nor their feelings, so the teenagers decided that it was time for them to speak out about their own experiences of bullying.
The two met on TLC’s show Two in a Million and quickly became friends. Admitting that they have been bullied countless times, the public fell in love with them and become advocates for their cause. Alas, not everybody is so kind and Elena herself fell victim to bullying that was so bad, it left her physically pained.
In school, Elena was mercilessly kicked by a tyrant who had just finished insulting her appearance. The kick was so harsh that it left her bruised and pained for nearly a week. Rather than being defeated and allowing the disgusting tragedy to happen again, Elena made a video with her pal Austin that made waves on the internet and other forms of media.
With a comment that bullying makes someone feel less than a person and more like an ant, Elena strained how important it is to teach children to be kind rather than cruel. Being an oppressor is the furthest thing from decent and society has finally accepted that. In an attempt to expose the harshness of being tormented, Elena and Austin not only got their point across but changed the minds of thousands who listened to their touching stories.
Conclusively, being a bully is wrong, there is no denying that. Nevertheless, parents and educators often fail to stress this fact to their children or pupils, ultimately contributing to the vicious cycle further. Abolishing bullying is a movement that must fall down a long line to prove effective and it is salient to begin that movement at this very moment for not only Austin and Elena but for any person hoping to have an enjoyable future free from scars.