Although we have come a long way in encouraging positive self-images, unfortunately body shaming hasn’t been done away with completely. Two weeks ago, 20-year-old La’Shaunae Steward posted a few pictures to her Instagram account showing off the new skirt she made for herself.

Soon after, social media trolls got a hold of her picture and started to post hurtful insults to Twitter about Steward’s body type.

Steward of North Carolina told Buzzfeed News, that she shared the photos as she was super proud of the skirt — which she’d hand-frayed — and her T-shirt, which is printed with the logo of the skateboarding magazine Thrasher.

Steward’s originality and creativity became overshadowed by her body type. Soon her picture became a punchline for insensitive Twitter trolls, retweeting the hurtful caption.

Steward told BuzzFeed News that the hurtful comments made her feel extremely anxious, reminding her of past bullying experiences.

“I’ve been wanting to learn how to skate for such a long time — since I was a teenager — and I’ve always been scared of being ‘too fat,’” she told BuzzFeed news. “I was bullied from elementary to high school, so this is what this situation felt like all over again.”

It wasn’t shortly after the Twitter trolls started to populate that some considerate users took heed to the cyber bullying. Soon many people started to send Steward positive messages and words of encouragement.

Steward even got recognition from model Reece King who put the Twitter trolls right back under their respective bridges.

In addition, another Twitter user @cheesethedog even created a picture of her, as a tribute to her strength and originality.

Luckily, Steward was able to turn a hurtful situation and make it positive and grow from it. Unfortunately, other women are not as lucky. Hopefully this instance will teach social media trolls that Twitter fingers don’t get you very far.

Body Shaming
La’Shaunae Steward
Reece King
twitter
twitter trolls