Tell me your stories.
I want to hear from people who were teased as a kid. I know that covers a lot of people, but I want the kids who suffered for it, you know who you are, tell me your stories.
These are the stories I like to tell, and those are the stories I like to hear.
Tell me how you got beyond it, over it, through it, I want to know. I want to help the kids who are still there, being teased in the classroom, and feeling awful in about 97 different ways. The kids who think they have nothing to offer. I want to hear from the adults who still feel a zing in their stomach when they hear the word "fat" and wonder if it is being directed at them.
My story goes like this....Once upon a time I weighed over 220 pounds and I thought I'd either grow up to work at the Hostess Cupcake store and have to be lifted out of my house with a crane because I was so huge, or become a nun so I could wear a shapeless black frock that covered my hugeness from head to toe. I was neither. Instead, amazingly, I became a dancing Cat on Broadway. That's the story I tell. More soon.
Hey! Thanks for stopping by.
Sophomore Year
My weight was going up and up...
Little Miss Sunshine
I guess I'm about 3 or so? Nice tan!
3 comments:
Hello Sharon,
I just posted on a different area of your site, but I go to this post and had to write again.
When I look at pictures of myself as a child of 3, 4 or 5 yrs old I cry. Why? Because I now know at age 32 what was in store for that joyful, playful, exuberant little boy who would let nothing stop him.
The first memory that I have of kindergarten is of sitting at a table with two girls and another boy, the boy commenting that I should sit with someone else, because I wasn't wanted there. Then 1st grade, 2nd, 3rd and so on every year a hell on Earth as I was tripped, kicked, punched, spit on, and ridiculed in the hallways and classrooms on a near daily basis. I was chubby and I got fatter and fatter the older I got. I was never gigantic, but I if I was 30 pounds overweight my self esteem made me feel like I was 90 pounds overweight. Luckily I was always a good student and my family life was very supportive. It wasn't until about 9th grade that the kids started getting more mature, and I found Theater. Suddenly, I had a cast of friends who were mostly outcasts themselves. It was wonderful, and I found that I was quite talented as well. I didn't get the leads, because of my lack of confidence, but I always got a part and had a great time. I went on to study voice at a great school but upon graduation, when all I wanted was to move to Manhattan, I was afraid. I was not confident and it can be traced back to the kids in grade school telling me that I was fat, ugly and nothing; knocking me down literally and figuratively. Well, I have finally moved to New York and I have my headshots ready. I'm still heavy, but I've lost weight before and I know I'll do it again. I am hoping that I'll be able to stay positive and find my success on Broadway someday soon. In the meantime, I just can't believe that after all these years, the things that the bullies did to me still affect me, but I can also say to any of those kids out there that may be going through something like this...You will have great times ahead! Always remember that there's NO way that EVERYONE you meet can become your friend. Remember that you have the same power to not like someone as they have to not like you. And, the best way to go through life is to do the things that you enjoy and live up to the values that you believe it for yourself, don't hurt anyone else, don't judge anyone for what they believe, and be patient... you will find other people that like you because of who YOU are, not because you are trying to please everybody.
Hi! My name is Becca and I think that your story is amazing. I too have over come difficulties in school due to my size. When I was younger I was alot smaller than everyone else. I would get picked on for it and me being so sensitive would cry because I didn't understand why they didn't like me. I wasn't a bad person and I was good at music and loved to sing. I wasn't snobby and would tolerate most people. But still they made me cry and it hurt something fierce. Middle school was worse than elementary and somedays i felt that i would die if it continued. I was an outcast and tried to make friends with others I saw as outcasts, they too wanted nothing to do with me. I buried myself with music, dreaming that someday I would be famous and sing on broadway. Highschool in my district was rough, not with violence, but with horrible girls who made you feel like you were trash even though they were the ones who were really trash. To put down someone because they didnt go with the trends isn't right. After my 9th grade year I went to the all day vo-tech where teachers and students respected each other for the most part. And I excelled and grew! I had to give up music but that was ok because I had found a new love, Food Service. By my senior year I in the top 3 and Student body president, and ready for college! This is my last semester of college and looking back on everything, I think I'm a better person for being picked on, I'm different and I'm proud of it. I guess I would say that now my height and weight are average...but being a college student it definately has gotten a little outa control. Really though I finally feel like I've found my place inthe world, and in a few years I plan on continuing my school work and becoming a vo-tech teacher and showing more youngsters that different is ok and that I'll accept them if no one will. I'm my own person and I definately wont judge you because you are your own! I want to go out and read your book, it sounds awesome. I still cry alot but not so much in public, I mean I can't help it if emotion overwhelms me it's not a bad thing...thank you-becca S
I am really inspired by your story...I'm a 22 year old Musical Theatre Performance major at a small college in Maine, and after being at this school for almost 3 years, I'm finally getting my chance to be on the Main Stage in a musical production...as Little Sally in Urinetown no less! And believe me, it's not been an easy trip. I AM an overweight aspiring Broadway star...but a long time ago, I finally stopped listening to the people who told me I'd never make it. I was accepted into the program and was told that I'd probably never be cast in shows. But I stayed anyways. And to tell you the truth...despite everything I've had a really good experience here...I've done some small parts in "semi-staged" productions of Children of Eden and Titanic...now onto Urinetown, and I was asked to go to NYC to audition for the Hairspray movie in February...so if you just believe in yourself and keep at it, you never know what you're capable of! Thanks for everything!
--Ashleigh--
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