A woman who was told by a troll that she is ‘too ugly’ to share pictures of herself has decided to post a selfie every day.
Melissa Blake from Illinois was born with a genetic bone and muscular disorder. She shared about how posting photos of herself with the hashtag #MyBestSelfie made her happier and more comfortable in her body.
In an essay posted by Refinery29, Melissa said: “For the last year, I’ve followed the same routine every night before I go to sleep: I get out my phone, scroll through my photos, and post a selfie on social media.
“I suppose it’s become something of a ritual — one that has brought me comfort and happiness, not to mention taught me plenty of lessons.
“As a woman writer with a genetic bone and muscular disorder, who is also very active on the internet, I’m used to being called names like “blobfish” and “whale,” but there was one comment I just couldn’t shake,” she wrote.
“Someone said that I should be banned from posting photos of myself because I’m too ugly.”
Blake did not let that remark affect her self-confidence, so she decided to respond by posting more photos of herself.
“During the last round of trollgate, people said that I should be banned from posting photos of myself because I’m too ugly,” she tweeted. “I’d just like to commemorate the occasion with these 3 selfies…”
Her Twitter post quickly went viral and people sent messages of support.
Blake then spent the next 366 days posting selfies.
“With each selfie, I felt more comfortable in my own body and discovered a freedom I’d never really felt before as a disabled woman,” she expressed. “I grew up feeling different (and looking different) from people my age, which definitely had an impact on my self-esteem and self-image.
“With each click of my iPhone, I felt like I was able to have a conversation with my younger self, telling her all the things I wish I had known back when I was a teenager.”
She added: “Sometimes I wonder if I should stop posting so many selfies. But then I’m reminded of our reality in 2020: Disabled people have to fight to be seen and heard. These selfies are for every single disabled person who continues to fight every single day.”
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