2. HOW WE CAN DEFINE THE BULLYING
PHENOMENON
The definition of bullying is when an individual or a group of people with more
power, repeatedly and intentionally cause hurt or harm to another person or
group of people who feel helpless to respond. Bullying can continue over
time, is often hidden from adults, and will probably continue if no action is
taken.
One of the most important form of bullying is the verbal one. Verbal
bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:Teasing
Name-calling
Inappropriate sexual comments
Taunting
Threatening to cause harm
3. BULLYING IN MUSIC
Bullying in music is one of the most common forms of discrimination.
You may not believe it, but, many notable artists were socially aloof,
and hence, bullied in their school days. They very well know what it
feels like to have everyone constantly telling them that they aren't
good enough, but they stood their ground! They took refuge in what
they believed in and continued to work towards their goal. Here are
some songs by some of these artists that narrate their struggle to
overcome bullying in their own unique style.
Some examples of artists that were bullied: Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift,
Demi Lovato, Eminem, Rihanna, Sam Smith, Miley Cyrus, Halsey.
4. ARTISTS WHO WERE ANTI-BULLYING
Many musicians have joined the cause by writing songs that uplift
and sometimes songs that shine a light on the shocking effects of
being bullied.
They have tried to express their feelings of sadness, suffering,
encouraging the listeners to overlook some of the offenses
committed against them.
Some examples of artists that were anti-bullying or sang about it:
Lady Gaga, Pink, Taylor Swift, Nirvana, Eminem, Selena Gomez,
Jessie J, Nu’Est.
5. LADY
GAGA
Mother Monster is nothing short of amazing, and she just proved it
again. Lady Gaga just defended a girl being bullied at school.
The singer said that things she heard from people as a teenager,
are still a part of her life.
“I got really bullied. I had a nice group of friends, but getting picked
on in school — it sticks with you for life and I don’t think I realized
how deeply it affected me until I started to become more successful
and suddenly there’s lots of pressure and you have to be a role
model,” she said. “I had to look inside myself and say, ‘Well, what
do I have to offer?’ Because for so many years I felt like I didn’t
have very much to offer.”
The singer, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, said she was
picked on for a host of reasons.
“All sorts of things. They said I had a big nose and I had buckteeth,”
she explained. “I had my teeth fixed. And I got thrown in a trash
can…”
“I think that some of the residual wounds, from high school, from
being bullied, and feeling not good enough, I think it stays with you
your whole life,” Gaga, who is celebrating the release of her new
album, “Born This Way,” responded. “And it’s about every day
becoming stronger and becoming more brave.”
6. TAYLOR SWIFT She may be country music’s darling, but Taylor
Swift‘s life wasn’t always so sweet.
“Junior high was actually sort of hard because I
got dumped by this group of popular girls’’.
“They didn’t think I was cool or pretty enough, so
they stopped talking to me.”
Another reason she was singled out? “The kids
at school thought it was weird that I liked country
[music],” she says. “They’d make fun of me.”
But all that changed in ninth grade when she
moved from her hometown in Pennsylvania to
Nashville and scored a record deal.
A year into her career, Swift returned to perform
in the place where earlier she’d been mocked –
and saw the girls who made her feel so badly
about herself.
Besides, she says, “Really, if I hadn’t come home
from school miserable every day, maybe I
wouldn’t have been so motivated to write songs.
I should probably thank them!” She wrote about
her experience in one of her famous song
‘’Mean’’.
7. EMINEM
Eminem's youth was often spent in wander,
proven by his imagination which has now
been well documented via songs, films and
comic books.
But when he was in school he was bullied.
This is something you wouldn't expect given
his ability to rip anyone to shreds.
According to reports, Marshall's mother,
Debbie Nelson, unsuccessfully sued the
Roseville school district for not protecting her
son. She claimed that the extent of the
bullying towards his son caused him
headaches, nausea, and antisocial
behaviour.
His success is mainly down to hard work.
When his mother would leave him at home to
go to bingo, he'd sit and blast music,
perfecting his lyrics. He wrote about her
experience in one of his famous song ‘’Not
Afraid’’.
8. RIHANNA
As a child growing up in Barbados, Rihanna was bullied by classmates
because of her appearance.
"I got teased my entire school life," the singer told Glamour in 2013. "What
they were picking on I don't even understand. It was my skin color [which was
lighter than her classmates].
9. SAM SMITH
Sam Smith has revealed that he was a victim of
homophobic bullying as a teenager.
The ‘Stay With Me’ singer came out as gay publicly
last year, when he revealed his album was about a
man he fell in love with – but has been out in his
private life since he was a young boy.
In an interview with the Sun, he revealed that he
was targeted because of his sexuality for years.
He told the newspaper of growing up in a small
town in Hertfordshire: “The toughest time for me
was my first year in secondary school when I
hadn’t come out as gay. It was actually the denying
of being gay that was getting me bullied.
“Guys were asking me all the time, ‘Are you gay?’ I
would say no and that would rile them up even
more. I came out at the end of year seven when I
was 11. That shut a lot of the bullies up.”
“A bunch of boys from a rival school would shout
insults at me as I walked from my home to the train
station.
At the beginning of last year I wasn’t talking about
my sexuality as much. But I’ve sold loads of
records now and I have a voice.”
10. ARTISTS THAT FIGHT AGAINST BULLYING
Pink-’’Perfect’’
You're so mean, when you talk, about yourself you
were wrong
Change the voices in your head, make them like
you instead
So complicated, look how big, you'll make it
Filled with so much hatred, such a tired game
It's enough! I've done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons, I've seen you do the
same
11. Selena Gomez- ‘’Who Says’’
Who says you're not perfect?
Who says you're not worth it?
Who says you're the only one that's hurting?
Trust me
That's the price of beauty
Who says you're not pretty?
Who says you're not beautiful?
12. Christina Aguilera- ‘’Beautiful’’
I am beautiful
No matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful
In every single way
Yes words can't bring me down
13. Jessie J- ‘’Who’s Laughing Now? ‘’
Mummy they called me names
They wouldn't let me play
I'd run home sit and cry almost everyday
Hey Jessica you looking like an Alien
With green skin you don't fit in this playpen
Oh they pulled my hair, they took away my chair
I keep it in and pretend that I didn't care
Hey Jessica, you're so funny,
You've got teeth just like Bugs Bunny