Bullying

A bully is defined as someone who seeks to harm those they perceive as vulnerable. We’ve likely all experienced some form of bullying at some point in our lives: an abusive parent, sibling, spouse, or co-worker. Having grown up with all of the above, I’ve arrived at two conclusions; those who are allowed to bully unchecked will inevitably become worse, and every bully at their heart is a coward.

We all have ways of dealing with bullying, some healthier than others. I became one. I used to go after people who bullied other people violently, now I use words. Those are far worse.

Not long ago, I went after someone for bullying the body positive movement. Someone came back at me. But his issue wasn’t saying that marginalized people shouldn’t be stood up for. His issue was how I responded to the instigator, that I even responded at all.

I was shocked by this but it illustrates a huge problem with people. The message is that bullying is part of normal human behavior, but it is not okay to stand up for yourself.

This is the exact wrong message.

If you want to kill a weed, you pull it out by the root, not the head. To properly address bullying as a society, we need to address the behavior itself. We need to do this instead of demonizing people who defend themselves.

Defending yourself is okay. Picking a fight with someone you feel superior too is not, and should be confronted at every opportunity.

Thanks for reading.

Avery K. Tingle is a scifi/fantasy author currently residing in the Pacific Northwest. Owned by two cats, he is passionate about social justice, Star Wars, and mental health. Connect to his award-winning writing and social media .

Originally published at http://averyktingle.art.blog on June 14, 2021.