I think it's important to finally stand up for yourself. Of course you will need people who support you and who you can talk with about everything, but in the end it is you who needs to be brave and let it all go.

I was bullied, mostly called names and sometimes hurt physically, for about 5 years. I was just 11 when it started.

I had to get glasses, because my sight steadily got worse and my mother insisted on getting them. At first it was just teasing and I didn't mind it that much. I even made fun of them myself! I thought it just needed some time getting used to them. But then I started to grow and I gained weight a lot faster that normal. My mother had to stop me from eating sometimes. So the random comments about my glasses moved to teasing about my weight. I think I had about 130 pounds at the age of 12-13. It got worse and finally my mother stepped in and called my class out on it in school. After that it was better and my class accepted me like I was. But in school I still had the same problems. Even my sports teacher, who was not exactly thin teased me in front of my whole class. And I let it go. I let it go for a long time, almost 3 years and then I finally had enough. You see it was not every day, but I came home sad more often than not. And finally I decided that it was me, not my mother and not the teachers, who had to get up and fight for myself. I called the bullies out on the things they said and I told them they too had fears and things they worried about. In the end, my last year in that school was peaceful. And I decided to stand up for myself and never let anything go this far ever again.

When I entered University I started to dress like I wanted. I didn't disguise myself any longer. I lost weight and I felt more and more comfortable with myself. Today I sometimes think back to that times, because my brother faces teasing and bullying himself. But he is a stronger Person than I was. He stands up for himself and never let it go that far.

I hope you will find comfort in my story. Maybe you see yourself in it. Maybe you will finally stand up for yourself.

I can only give you one advice: Be yourself and don't let anyone define who you are or how you should be! You are perfect the way you are and no one can change that fact.