December is a time of celebration – of family, friends and faith-based holidays. So when this month which ought to be marked by unity and love opened with a tragic suicide story of a cyber-bullied teen in Texas City, I was crushed.
18-year old Brandy Vela was bullied for her weight – literally, to death.
Though Brandy and her family reported the bullying to the school district and local police, they were told that no action could be taken, leaving Brandy victim to an onslaught of abuse targeting her body image and weight.
Brandy’s heartbreaking story is a painful reminder of burning issues we need to stand up for. Her dad has vowed to fight for greater awareness of and stricter laws against cyber-bullying, and we at LeBootCamp are here to join this important fight.
If there is one message at the heart of LeBootCamp, it is this: Your weight does not define you. Learn to love your body. But even more, learn to love who you are beyond your body. And do the same for every other human being who crosses your path.
This December, let’s honor Brandy’s memory by taking a stand for these important issues:
- Harassment of any kind is not acceptable.
- Weight bullying and shaming is not acceptable.
- Reach out. If you see something, say something. Report it to the authorities and insist that action be taken.
- Educate young people in your life that your weight does not define you.
As I look towards a month that celebrates family, friends and faith-based holidays, I will remember Brandy. And I will remember that the bedrock of healthy living is not weight and diet, but acceptance, unity and love.
Peace,
Valerie Orsoni
Your LeBootCamp Coach
Tags: acceptance body image brandy vela cyber bullying diet fat harassment healthy body image healthy living lebootcamp love overweight self love suicide teen suicide unity Valerie Orsoni weight weight bullying weight loss weight shaming
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