When you look at these images, what do you see?
What do you think of?
Maybe you see things like beautiful, skinny, flawless.
By the way,
after looking at a fashion magazine for about three seconds
your self-esteem goes down by 50%,
according to the publication Psychology Today.
Now what do you see?
Do your thoughts change?
Maybe, when you look at these images,
you see something like fat, ugly, or even weird.
Do you realize that could be considered bullying?
Don't worry, it's not your fault.
Society and media have trained you to look at these images in that way.
Hello, I am 15, almost 16 years old.
I'm a cheerleader, skier, runner, slash honor student,
here at Park City High School.
When I was a little girl,
me and my mom's favorite TV show was America's Next Top Model.
During the commercials, I used to do my best runway walk and strut my stuff.
And then I'd ask my mom,
I'd say, "Mommy, am I skinny enough? Am I pretty enough to win?"
Keep in mind I was about eight years old.
From a young age, we are trained by media
with images on Facebook, Instagram, TV, magazines.
It's literally everywhere.
From beauty campaigns to definition of perfect,
girls are told we have to have collarbones
you can see from a mile away.
For boys, it's all about your hair and jawline.
If you can't meet up to those standards,
you aren't worth the time.
Media tells us we aren't good enough
and gives us unrealistic, photoshoped, perfect images.
This is why I believe we are prone to bullying.
No offense to anyone here;
I don't believe you can exactly stop bullying.
There's no law, cure, or punishment you can give a human being
to make them stop being rude to each other.
No, the change starts with you.
As a great man, an idol of mine once said,
"You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Bullying starts and stops with you, an individual.
I want to knock down some stereotypes and give you some statistics.
For starters, it's not just the nerds, geeks, and weirdos
that are bullied and shoved into the nearest locker.
No, far from it.
Anyone and everyone is bullied.
I bet I could ask every single one of you if you've ever been bullied,
and you'd say yes.
Three point two million students a year are bullied.
One in four teachers do not believe bullying is a problem,
and only 4% of teachers would actually intervene
in a bullying situation.
A new study done by Fox News shows that being bullied as a child
is more harmful, emotionally, than being abused by an adult.
So, who do you trust
if a friend, a teacher, or peers can't always be there for you?
I know how this feels:
totally alone, no friends to be with,
like no one could ever understand.
I've been bullied a lot in my life.
I've been called things like, "Fattolin," and "Slut,"
and many other names by many people.
I know all the emotions one in six kids feels every single day.
I can tell you, bullying is real.
and it hurts you more than just emotionally.
So, what is my solution?
You always have yourself.
Look in that mirror.
A little closer, a little harder.
Find that one thing, that ability, that trait that you love about yourself.
I know this is not an easy task.
We are our own hardest critic,
and the media has taught us to be unaccepting of ourselves,
always trying to fix the little things,
but never quite making it to perfect.
But I promise you, it's there;
whether it's skin deep or something on the inside.
When you find that, you hold on to it,
and the next time you're bullied, you cling on to it, and you say,
"I know myself,
and they are wrong.
They're wrong."
You know yourself way better than any bully does.
So why listen to a by-standard
when you can listen to an expert?
Don't let someone tear you down.
I know the next time someone calls me Fattolin,
I'm not going to be aggressive about it,
and no, I'm not going to run away either.
I'm going to stand up, and I'm going to say,
"I'm sorry, but you are completely wrong about me."
And walk away.
Because that makes a better impression, anyways.
I like to think of myself as an example against the stereotypes
because I am a cheerleader
which is considered to be a popular position,
but I still deal with bullying all the time.
Showing people who you are,
and not letting media or a bully define you,
is what I call,
"Mirror BeYOUty."
Being who you are is way more attractive or beautiful to me
than a good jawline and some great hair.
Your character is what makes you well, you!
You don't have to teach the whole world
on how to report a bully or tell a principal you read a mean text.
No, you need to teach the whole world on how to be themselves
and not let anyone whether be a bully,
a boss, a teacher, or even a parent
tell them different.
You are all beautiful, so show your beYOUty.
Thank you.
(Applause)