The internet is all fun and games until people’s feelings are getting hurt. Cyberbullying has become a serious issue over the last 10 years. Living in this techno-savvy world means everyone is online and there aren’t always friendly people on the internet. Bullies can hide behind their computer screens saying all kinds of hurtful things.
But this trailblazing journalist named Melissa Blake had an amazing idea to teach cyberbullies a valuable lesson.
Blake is a successful journalist who has a disability and she’s had plenty of run in’s with internet trolls. In 2019 she wrote a more opinionated piece for a national news site and it was flooded with comments. But the thing is, none of those comments were discussing her article.
Cyberbullies were saying all sorts of cruel things about her appearance which really took Blake by surprise.
She told Good Morning America,
“The comments had nothing to do with the content of my work, they were just insulting my looks,”
A user even wrote Blake was ‘too ugly’ to post selfies on social media. She told GMA,
“Usually the comments roll off my back, But it was really hurtful.”
Blake was born with a genetic condition called Freeman-Sheldon syndrome, a neuromusculoskeletal disorder. She’s had 26 surgeries.
But that hasn’t stopped her from having a thriving life and journalism career! The malicious comments made on Blake’s post inspired her to show those cyberbullies that they weren’t going to get her down. Blake went to her Twitter and posted screenshots of the nasty comments with a caption that said,
“Reminder that this is what it’s like to be a disabled woman writer on the internet AND #ThisIsAmerica in 2019.”
Reminder that this is what it’s like to be a disabled woman writer on the internet AND #ThisIsAmerica in 2019: A conservative YouTuber mentioned my recent op-ed about #UnfollowTrump. The comments? I’m fat, ugly and look like a blob fish, a parade balloon and a potato with a face. pic.twitter.com/ROczIXKNom
— Melissa Blake (@melissablake) August 8, 2019
Instead of going ghost and letting these trolls harass her Blake simply called them out.
She posted 3 more selfies for all of the hurtful bullies who said she was ‘too ugly’ to post selfies.
During the last round of trollgate, people said that I should be banned from posting photos of myself because I’m too ugly. So I’d just like to commemorate the occasion with these 3 selfies… 📸😉👋🏻 pic.twitter.com/9ZuSYFOtwv
— Melissa Blake (@melissablake) September 7, 2019
The reactions to her comeback took the world by storm and people from all over the world were in support of Blake’s movement to be unapologetically you!
Blake challenged her followers to share their selfies with a #MyBestSelfie hashtag to spread love rather than hate on social media. The now infamous Twitter post has almost 38,000 shares and has brought Blake plenty of positive attention.
Her voice has inspired countless others to stay true to themselves and “take up space”.
While I won’t say this is a thirst trap, I’ll definitely say this is a parched ploy… #MyBestSelfie 😉😘🔥 pic.twitter.com/kVBQ8jFAcI
— Melissa Blake (@melissablake) September 7, 2020
Those mean cyber trolls were put to shame after Blake proved that positivity goes a lot farther than malicious comments. Blake is nearing 1 million followers on Twitter and her feed is filled with uplifting people who adore her message. She continues to write for platforms such as the New York Times, Cosmo, and CNN.
While also keeping up with her own personal blog called ‘So About What I Said’ which you’ll have to check out.
On Blake’s blog, she writes to inform others about people with disabilities as well as other leisurely reads about pop culture and relationships. Melissa Blake transformed negative comments into an inspiring community where others are uplifted by her fearless spirit.
She just recently posted a selfie on Twitter with the same shirt she was wearing when she went viral and the feedback was so heartwarming.
I love your selfies, Melissa! You are such a cheerful, upbeat presence here on Twitter, and your smile is so beautiful. Keep posting selfies, please! They make me smile too. https://t.co/aoL0QqR5NI
— Diane Magras 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@dianemagras) September 8, 2020
Take up all the space honey it's yours and you're everything!! https://t.co/jLbWI8J0MU
— Vanessa Clark (@FoxxyGlamKitty) September 8, 2020
Melissa Blake is a true inspiration to us all. It’s about time we all start lifting one another up!
Way to go Melissa!
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