We're sick of people being mean. Let's move on, shall we? Being on the receiving end of bullying sucks, but this girl is definitely our new hero, as she slammed some body shaming jerks in the best way of all, with a little straight up "suck it haters" message.
When 14-year-old Carleigh O'Connell found out that someone had written a graffiti message at a local beach that said "Carleigh's ass," she took matters into her own hands and refused to be bullied. Carleigh posed next to the message in a bikini, with her butt proudly on display. Even more amazing though was the huge smile on her face. Get 'em, girl.
Carleigh shared the pic on Instagram and her mom posted it to Facebook, writing: "She decided that she was going to be stronger than hurtful words on the concrete and that she was going to be proud of her figure. She also told me that she feels complete sympathy for the teenagers across the country who face this everyday. She understands and wants all of them to find strength inside to rise above the nastiness and be empowered by who you are, how you are made and what is in your heart."
The image went viral - and the message of empowerment was heard loud and clear, as she told Today, "I didn't know I could look something in the face like that and conquer it. The biggest message I want to get across is just to be strong, and that anyone who is experiencing bullying and anything like that, that they're not alone and there's people there for them - and I'm one of them."
