Bully. A big school boy wearing tattered clothing who is followed by a gang of cronies, wreaking havoc on those children smaller in stature and greater in intelligence is normally the image conjured by this single word. Platitudes such as this have fogged our perception of what a bully truly is. Today’s bully has taken many forms. From spite-filled high school girls to small children who are envious of a flashy pencil, bullying touches everyone. The bullies that I deal with in my life, however, assume a different form.

While I was in the fifth grade of elementary school I discovered my passion for musical theatre. My neighbor and I had always put on small shows that we fabricated from the depths of our imaginations. When she informed me that the production she was a part of was in desperate need of male performers, I seized the opportunity. I continued to be a part of that program for the next four years. My love for performing, however, came at a cost. Bullying. I had finally found the niche that I belonged to and the relentless barrages of questions about my sexuality and masculinity rocked me to my core. It hurt even more given that the classmates bullying me had known me since kindergarten, since we attended such a small school. I was not going to let these people ruin something that I had formed such fervor for. Whenever they disheartened me, I just forced myself to think about what joy and happiness being on stage brought to my life. God also helped me to overcome this dark period in my life. Coming from a stable catholic family taught me to bring these troubles before God in prayer, and pray I did. Finding solace in God was an impetus for me to pursue my love for musical theatre. It gave me the strength to press on.

With elementary school behind me, I faced a new chapter in my life which was again interwoven with musical theatre. Fortunately, I had found something to use to cope with bullying; friends. In elementary school, I was the only one in my small class of twenty-two students who enjoyed performing. Now I was one of sixty or so students. Being a part of a group people with the same devotion to one activity made me especially happy. Surrounding myself with good friends has further helped me in the path of eradicating bullying from my life for good.

I hope that one day the evil of bullying will no longer plague anyone’s life. We can all fight this vice that claims lives and dreams by being models of opposition. Take a stand when you see bullying taking place and stop it so that all people may live in peace. Do not judge people or make generalizations as so many people did to me. Avoid choosing not to do something in fear of being bullied. Lastly, turn to God when you’re in need of comfort from bullying.