When Emily-Anne Rigal was in elementary school, she was bullied for being overweight so severely that she had to transfer schools. But with this change came another unanticipated transformation: she went from being the bullied to the bully. The messages she had received (being fat = no good) compelled her to treat others poorly in an unconscious effort to make others feel bad about themselves too.
Inspired by her experiences, she founded the non-profit WeStopHate.org to help others share their experiences with bullying by posting videos to YouTube and help foster good “teen esteem.” In the process, her organization garnered nearly 1 million views and the support of Meryl Streep, Lady Gaga, Whitney Port, and Josie Loren, among others.
Her new book is: FLAWD: How to Stop Hating on Yourself, Others, and the Things That Make You Who You Are.
