Marisabelle Bonnici is no stranger to bullying but has overcome her experiences with pure strength and courage, like the true boss lady she is. We reached out to her to get her take on bullying, her experiences, and what people can do to prevent it.
Marisabelle’s story
It all started when she was 11. She used to be bullied about various things, particularly her weight. “I was called fat even though I wasn’t,” she shares. Marisabelle says that she was also teased for speaking Maltese in a dominantly English-speaking school, she was called a nerd because she liked books, and when she cut her hair in a pixie cut, she was called ‘Tony and Gay.’ Haven’t we all heard that one before?
“This made me turn to food for comfort for many years. As I grew older this wasn’t prevalent for me anymore. I got tougher and stronger and I could stand up for myself. But lately I have been seeing it around me more too. This July I posted a picture of myself online and the first comment was, ‘you look like a man.’ That made me feel bad and I removed it. Now I decided to speak about it because even if it were true, no one has the right to make me feel bad.” Preach it, sister!
RoadtoBelle
Marisabelle started a blog called RoadtoBelle, and the name holds a particular significance.. “It means the road to beautiful and is also a play on my name, as it is my journey to seeing in the mirror what I always felt I was like inside.” On RoadtoBelle she tackles various topics including health, nutrition and self-confidence.
Her take on bullying
Marisabelle feels that bullying has become more prevalent, what with the rise of cyber bullying. “A few months ago, I posted a photo wearing a hat. A doctor I knew from our sixth form days sent me laughing faces and said that I looked ridiculous. This is someone who should be more aware of the impact of such comments on mental health. I just removed him as a friend and kept my photo.”
Marisabelle says that many people who turn to bullying use it as a coping mechanism for their own stressful situations. “The people who bullied me in my teenage years then ended up being the ones with most issues when we grew up. Also, hiding behind a computer is easy – you can get targets online and bash them without the need to actually face them. […] So please think before you comment to bring someone down, as negativity only brings more negativity.”
Taking action
Marisabelle also encourages people to look out for signs of bullying and encourages others to speak to these people, or possibly someone who can help. “We need to teach people and children self-worth. We need to encourage discussion and self-worth from a young age; we need to teach our kids how precious they are and how to value themselves. And this must also continue with adults – more personal development in companies can be implemented as bullying happens at the workplace, too.”
A word of advice
“Please don’t go through it alone. Speak to someone you love – speak to a friend, a parent, a partner. If you don’t want to tell anyone around you but feel comfortable reaching out to someone who can support you online, do so,” Marisabelle encourages. “If the bullying is becoming too strong, especially online, take screenshots and block the person and hit that report button – cyberbullying is a crime. Speak up, do not be ashamed!”
We hear you, sister!