FLAWD Fights Bullying By Empowering Kids To Love All Of Themselves, Even Their Flaws

FLAWD Fights Bullying By Empowering Kids To Love All Of Themselves, Even Their Flaws

As we approach a new school year, it’s also time to talk about one of the not so exciting parts of school – bullying. I think that just about anyone can, if they dig deep enough through their childhood, find instances of bullying in their lives. It’s something that everyone is affected by, but no one really knows how to deal with until years later, which makes combating it pretty difficult. By addressing bullying in a holistic way, dealing with both prevention and treatment, programs and organizations are starting to dig into what really causes bullying and how we can stop it.

Getting to the root of bullying is, I think, really about getting to the root of unhappiness. Emily-Anne Rigal, Founder of WeStopHate, has been working on eradicating bullying by addressing issues of self-esteem and happiness that effect both bullies and recipients of bullying since she was in middle school. Now a student at Barnard College, and still only 21 years old, Emily-Anne has been named one of Newsweek’s “150 Most Fearless Women in the World” and is the recipient of the Peace First Prize and the TeenNick H.A.L.O. Award. Now she can add published author to that list, having just released her first book (co-authored with Jeanne Demers) which addresses teen self-esteem and bullying.


I was able to get my hands on an early copy* of  FLAWD – How To Stop Hating On Yourself, Others and the Things that Make You Who You Are and it is a brilliant book full of positivity and encouragement compiled from teens around the world. The authors have done a masterful job melding together information and inspiration with beautiful graphics, creating a book that is as pretty to look at as it is fun to read.

Most importantly, the book addresses teen self-esteem in an approachable way, welcoming people into the conversation rather than creating an us vs. them dynamic. By writing for all teens, Emily-Anne confronts bullying as a community problem, not a series of isolated incidents, and proposes solutions that are systemic rather than topical.

If you are in middle school or high school, or have a sibling, relative, or friend whose struggling to find their way, I highly recommend a copy of FLAWD as a back-to-school gift. It’s a beautiful book with a wonderful message – that the first step towards happiness is learning to love all of yourself, even your ‘flaws’.

 

*Disclosure: Emily-Anne is a friend of mine!