#Effyourbeautystandards | Society's Wake-up Call

Hello lovelies,
Today, I am taking a step back from my regular posts to write something that I feel needs to be said. As many of you know, I am part of the #Effyourbeautystandards girl gang, and this past week has been busier than usual for a lot of reasons, but it has lead me to write this post about the internet and how we use it.

Recently, over on Instagram, a group of trolls have taken to using the #Effyourbeautystandards hashtag and posting malicious photos and downright offensive things, in an attempt to shame Tess Holliday and ultimately all those who follow and her campaign.

I am not hear to question why trolls do what they do, because quite frankly, they don't deserve my time or attention but what I would like to know is at what point will people stop engaging in this kind of behaviour?

We have had so many of our amazing followers who reach out to say that this campaign has changed them and helped them find their confidence, get out there and enjoy life more, but when they see hateful images and troll nonsense, it sets them back - as it would most people.

Between fighting and working with social media platforms to have accounts who are blatant troll accounts removed to blocking and deleting comments, it really makes me wonder what we as a society will have to see or do for this to stop.

People all over the world are struggling with so many different things, and I can assure you that the one thing that does not change lives, is negativity. Youth and adults committing suicide and harming themselves because they can't live with being who they are because of the way the world has treated them. How can we not treat internet trolling as the high form of bullying and have consequences for those who engage in it.

For every person that we hear about, who has been affected by cyber bullying, there are tons more who we don't know about. If we knew the real numbers and stories of those affected would it create change? Would social media and authorities step up and take responsibility to protect it's users/people?

For the #Effyourbeautystandards campaign, this is about people living their lives to the fullest and not spending their days hidden away because other people in their lives think they know what is best for them.

Life is not about only being the person you want to become, and hiding until you have become them, but about enjoying the person you are every step of the way, each and every day.

Body shaming is not ok in any shape or form. Regardless of whether you think you know what is good for someone, you don't know it by looking at a photo of them. We are all guilty of judging others, it's human nature, but to publicly point out and dictate your views about someone else's looks or lifestyle is out of line and unacceptable.

For those of you who have been on the receiving end of these nasty comments and accounts, please know that this is the time to rise above and be the bigger person. There are more #bodypositive do-gooders out there than trolls and we need to stick with what we are doing and make that known.

Continue to spread your confidence and gorgeous photos all over and fill Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with nothing but positivity and love for your followers and the world.

My last request is that if you aren't ok or are struggling, that you reach out to someone. The same goes for people on the other end, don't shut yourself off to others - be the person who helps someone out.

Be the friend that you hope to have at your hardest moment.