Cassandra Di Lalla (she/her/hers), Low Entropy Volunteer Writer
I’ve both seen and heard it happen, but I’ve also been a victim on several occasions. I hate bullying with a burning passion. It makes me so angry and it’s extremely triggering, because it brings back terrible memories. I find it absolutely atrocious that bullies actually think it’s okay to treat people like that. I was bullied horrendously throughout the years, from elementary school to college, but my four years in high school were by far the worst. I hated high school with every fibre of my being. It was so bad that it made nightmares seem like fairytales. I got laughed at and made fun of, sworn at, called many nasty names, beat up, and shoved into lockers. I had rumours spread about me, I was discriminated against, cyber-bullied, excluded and rejected, humiliated, threatened, etc . . .
It makes me feel so uneasy talking about this, mostly because I was living in such fear every day. I didn’t want to go to school, my grades were slipping, I had no friends, etc . . . Every single one of my bullies were students or peers, with the exception of one bully who was a teacher of mine. Yes, a teacher. To make matters worse, both the vice principal and the principal handled things very poorly (and that’s putting it very politely). The cops that worked with our school who were supposed to “serve and protect” did no such thing. They had the audacity to tell me “kids will be kids” after I walked into the main office and notified them that I was bullied and beaten on school property just out front. Like, I beg your pardon?! They had a good ol’ chuckle with the vice principal and the principal. Honest to God, the only ones who treated me with dignity, respect and compassion were the guidance counsellor, a small handful of teachers and my family members. I felt lost, judged, embarrassed, afraid and a million and one other unpleasant things.
It’s not “cool” to treat people like trash just to “fit in.” It isn’t nice to make fun of someone because they learn or understand things differently. It isn’t right to judge someone’s appearance, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality or anything else that’s considered personal. In fact, it isn’t “cool,” nice or right to judge someone at all. Simply put, I got bullied for basically existing and that’s far from okay. There’s nothing okay about that . . . not in today’s day and age—not ever. According to my bullies, I never did anything right and nothing I did was good enough. I was a “waste of space.”
One of the bullies went on to become a cop and it infuriated me! I was livid when I found that out. Why? Because it made me sick to my stomach seeing her around children and teenagers, “serving” and “protecting” the community, knowing right and well that she had done the unthinkable in high school. She did it with a smile on her face. That’s diabolical.
Peoples’ lives are in danger due to bullying and harassment. Lives are ending because of this. I will never understand the motive behind it. A life should not have to end for changes to take place. We see it everywhere and we hear everywhere that bullying and harassment will not be tolerated, but it’s not often enforced. In most places, those words are only posted as a formality . . . or to make it seem like there’s no space for hate in that establishment. But truthfully, not everyone’s capable of being kind or offering a hand. When I see anti-bullying campaigns, I’m right there with them—I’ll sign my name and I’ll get involved however I can. My faith in humanity is automatically restored whenever I see that people are providing a safe space, standing up for one another, supporting each other, learning and educating together, etc . . .
We’re all very much aware that this is still happening, so it isn’t of unknown origin, it’s that things remain the same day in and day out. Children need to be taught right from wrong, good from bad, the difference between “yes” and “no” and so on.
If only we lived in a world where extending our arms for a warm embrace took priority over all the hate that surrounds us. People need love, care and support. They do not need hatred and rejection. There are good people out there, but there needs to be more of them to outweigh those who are careless and unkind. Be good and do good. Allow yourself to be the person others want to be when they grow up. This doesn’t mean perfect, this just means having a gentle heart and soft soul.
—
Cassandra Di Lalla lives life purposefully. She enjoys reading, writing and mental health initiatives. She’s an animal lover for life and an innovative individual always finding new ways to create.