Stay Beautiful

I have Scoliosis. It’s where your spine curves. I’ve had it my whole life. I’ve gotten more than twenty surgeries because of it. It makes me look like a hunchback. I’ve been fortunate, until now, to go to school with the kindest people. People that don’t make fun of me for my disability. People that don’t judge a book by its cover.

I entered high school last year a bit nervous but grade ten went by fine and this year I’m in grade eleven. This year was the first I’ve been bullied about my disability. I was called a hunchback by someone who doesn’t know anything about me. Someone who doesn’t even know my name.

I didn’t know about this until last night. I cried for two hours straight last night and this morning I confronted the person who denied it. Bullies do that, they always deny what they’ve said. It could be worse though. He could’ve called me a hunchback to my face.

My school has about 1,700 students. There are tons of kids with disabilities. You’d think they’d be used to it by now, seeing as they’ve been going to school for seven months now. I guess not.

I used to be the little girl who wondered why she didn’t have any real friends. I was the little girl who never had a proper childhood because she was in and out of hospitals. Even now my self esteem isn’t the highest. Hearing that someone could be so cruel broke me. Every day I have to see the scars that litter my back. Every day I have to deal with what I have.

Bullying is not funny. Bullies do not have a happy ending. They end up alone when high school ends, all their friends having matured.  Bullies end up sad, lonely people while the victims of their abuse go do something amazing. The victims find a way to change the world.

For those who have been bullied about their looks or anything else about them, remember this. Don’t let anybody tell you who you have to be and what you have to look like. You’re beautiful just the way you are. Stay beautiful and keep it ugly.

- mm