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AIBU?

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Original poster

Things you have been bullied or ridiculed about

209 replies

Frenchboat · 12/07/2016 21:03

My dc is starting school soon and has inherited my wild, curly hair. I'm worried she will be bullied like I was.

Having curls has made me feel ugly and ashamed all my life. I was called names and even had my hair yanked. I was called ugly. All because my hair didn't lie straight. I really hope things have moved on a dc won't go through the same thing.

So I guess I want to know what things you have been picked on about as a child or even now, as these things make you feel
Inferior, things can deeply hurt for years.How did you regain confidence?

OP posts:
Original poster
Frenchboat · 12/07/2016 21:04

Oops meant post in chat...

OP posts:
MollyTwo · 12/07/2016 21:05

I haven't been bullied but I do remember having curly hair was seen as an 'ugly' thing back then, I wonder why though. Im sorry you were bullied over something so silly.

Original poster
Frenchboat · 12/07/2016 21:09

It's true Molly. To this day there is still very few naturally curly haired role celebrities- even people like Taylor Swift seem straighten it out to some extent.
I'm sure it doesn't sound like a big deal but your hair somehow ends up quite intwined with your personality

OP posts:
hollyisalovelyname · 12/07/2016 21:13

My pronounciation of a place. Got laughed and jeered at. Years ago.
I haven't forgotten Annette. Smile

ElaeudanlaTeiteia · 12/07/2016 21:18

I was teased by a small group of girls in year 8 for being too pale Hmm. I thought at the time that was grasping at straws a bit Hmm. Fortunately it never went very far, I had a few good friends and was on good terms with everyone else, and they got bored after a while.

Noonesfool · 12/07/2016 21:18

Being "posh" Hmm

I had a non specific accent and went to a northern high school.

ToadsJustFellFromTheSky · 12/07/2016 21:21

Probably doesn't help much but I've always been envious of curly and wavy hair. My hair is naturally poker straight and I hate it. Just a case of wanting what you can't have I guess...

Rainbunny · 12/07/2016 21:25

I had hamster cheeks and was variously named hamster, gerbil, chubby cheeks (family nickname!) etc... you get the drift. As a 40 year old I am finally reaping the benefits, I look very young for my age (not a boast honestly). It took four decades for me to see the upside to my chubby (well, a little less so these days) cheeks :)

For the record my DH has curly hair, as does his sister and they are both gorgeous. In fact my dh says he is grateful that he never got picked on in school because his older sister with long, gorgeous curly hair was fancied by every boy in school!

Dutchcourage · 12/07/2016 21:25

My ears stuck out (before I had them pinned back) I got called ' trophy ears' 'pob' 'big ears'

There was one boy who crucified me!

KyloRenNeedsTherapy · 12/07/2016 21:26

Being poor - grew up in a middle class commuter town where we were the poor kids.

The bullying was horrific and left me entirely friendless for 2 years.

I'm now a teacher.

GunnyHighway · 12/07/2016 21:27

Having shit brands trainers.

splendide · 12/07/2016 21:30

Being posh (like above, I wasn't - we just moved so my accent was wrong), being fat, being swotty.

Givenuponstarbucks · 12/07/2016 21:30

Being pretty. And then just to make me feel even more shit I then had bad acne.

I guess the good thing is I am a well balanced individual nowHmm

FoxesOnSocks · 12/07/2016 21:30

I had horrible teeth, very protruding and all over the place got ridiculed for that. Then I got ridiculed for having braces. I also wasn't allowed to wear anything but clothes picked out by my mother - ridiculed for that. Also bullied for being ugly (probably a combination of all the former)

Don't worry about your dc, curly hair is definetly ok now. My eldest has real curly curls, he won't get it cut because it's a good thing to have curls!!

I do the "no 'poo" thing with him which helps with the wildness!!!!

Dachshund · 12/07/2016 21:33

Big sticky out ears
Train tracks braces
Being short
Being skinny and therefore having no boobs
Being a 'swot'
Being shit at sports

Need I go on? I wasn't actually picked on that badly but i definitely had a complex about all of the above due to trading by my peers.

Lilaclily · 12/07/2016 21:33

My voice - high and squeaky

My flat chest - skinny and no curves or periods until about age 14

My name - stupid jokes

Wasn't major bullying , some might call it teasing , but I still remember it

I don't think curly hair will be a problem
A friend had s hideous perm and no one said much

Dachshund · 12/07/2016 21:34

And by trading I mean teasing..

hazeyjane · 12/07/2016 21:34

My skin, my weight, my eczema, wearing glasses, wearing odd clothes, being short.

From very young I realised I could be quite funny, and that people like funny.

I also realised that most people were arseholes, which gave me a healthy sense of superiority

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 12/07/2016 21:35

Being ugly. I had stones thrown at me and all kinds over it.
Thankfully I've matured well, though.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 12/07/2016 21:35

Being ginger.
Being fat. I was 5 and I wasn't fat.. Until I ate everything because of the bullying and became fat.
Having hairy legs.. I believed them aged 8 and asked my mum to shave my legs.

FoxesOnSocks · 12/07/2016 21:35

Oh yes the boob thing, I'd actually forgotten, teased for not having big breast.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 12/07/2016 21:36

My sister was bullied for being ginger too, it makes me sad that she was so pleased when her children didn't have ginger hair.

JessTitchener · 12/07/2016 21:36

Dachshund apart from the braces we are quite clearly the same person!

There isn't a short joke I haven't heard.

TheNotoriousPMT · 12/07/2016 21:37

Being flat-chested. I didn't like being called 'baked bean surfboard' but in retrospect I don't think it was as bad as what my curvier friends had to deal with.

Like noonesfool, I was 'posh', i.e. sounded a bit different. I'm still having to make a conscious effort not to fake a regional accent 20 years later.

Wearing glasses. I've worn contacts for the last two decades.

Sorry, not being a great example if how-to-get-over-it. If it's any comfort, I wish I had curly hair...

RobinHumphries · 12/07/2016 21:37

For being an early developer.