Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman has taken a powerful stand against cyber bullies while encouraging her followers to ‘make a positive change’ in the world.
The outspoken anti-bullying advocate took to Instagram over the weekend to remind everyone to think about how their words and actions affect others, explaining that ‘every single person has a story that matters’.
In a series of candid video clips, the 23-year-old gold medal-winning gymnast spoke out about the increasing ‘hate’ that she has seen flooding social media, and called on her followers to be more aware of others around them and share a positive message.
Spreading the word: To mark Bullying Awareness Month this October, gymnast Aly Raisman recorded a series of videos for Instagram
Putting it out there: Aly tells her followers to remember that ‘every single person has feelings’
‘I’ve been noticing a lot of hate, especially on social media,’ Aly explains in the first clip which was posted to mark Bullying Awareness Month.
She then goes on to remind everyone that: ‘Every single person has feelings. Every single person has an opinion and a story that matters.’
She adds: ‘I also wanted to remind you guys that every single person in the world is going through something. You might not think that they are or you might not realize it, but always remember that every person is struggling with something.’
Aly encourages her followers to ‘be kind, offer your support and love’ to others, since they could be going through something hard even if they aren’t showing it.
‘Support other people, and try to be there for people as much as you can because right now, the world could use a lot more love and a lot more support,’ she says.
Using her voice: She instructs them to remember that anyone could be going through something tough, even if they aren’t showing it
All strength: Aly has three gold medals, two silvers and one bronze from her Olympic career
Standing strong: Aly finished her videos by praising her ‘incredible’ fans for their encouragement and positivity
Aly finishes her video message by praising her ‘incredible’ fans who are already working to put positivity out in the world, saying they are truly ‘making the world a better place.’
The athlete has been known to speak regularly about her own experiences being bullied, having told Today last year that she was taunted so much about her muscular body that she would dress to cover up.
‘In seventh grade, I was wearing a tank top at school and one of the boys told me my arms were disgusting,’ she said. ‘So I didn’t wear a tank top to school ever again. Thinking about that makes me so sad because I let one kid affect how I see myself.’
She has also praised her mother for helping her overcome some of the insecurities she developed as a result of cruel bullying.
Best face forward: Aly has previously opened up about overcoming bullies in school, thanking her mother for her positivity
Champions! Aly, one of the gold medal-winning Final Five from the Rio 2016 Olympics, is sitting out this season
‘Luckily, I’ve had my mom because she has always taught me from a young age to be confident and be comfortable in my own skin,’ she said.
‘Even now, I call her sometimes when I feel insecure and she’s always the person I go to. Just having someone to talk to I think is really important.’
Aly is currently sitting out the season in gymnastics, and just missed the World Championships in Montreal this past weekend.
However, the member of the Rio 2016 Final Five gold-winning team isn’t quite ready to retire, saying that Tokyo 2020 is definitely ‘on her mind.’