Mohandas Gandhi once said the infamous words, “We must become the change we want to see in the world”. In November of 2011, a non-profit organization called the You Are… Movement, a movement seeking to help adolescents feel comfortable in their own skin, emerged. This movement helps others ignore bullies and the way others view them and to ultimately be yourself. In today’s society, we are constan
tly surrounded by people trying to live up to certain images, sticking to a certain status quo, and judging others who are different from them. People are hurt by other’s thoughts, words, actions and ideas of beauty. People adhere to the new definition of beauty just so that they can be accepted in this ever-changing, fast-paced world. My friends in other schools were being bullied because they didn’t abide by the things their friends did. They were being called names, getting anonymous hate messages on the Internet, dreading to go to school the next day and contemplating death. News reports on teenage su***de became more frequent and less surprising, but motivated me to create the You Are… Movement. This organization offers advice on how to love your body and have a positive body image. It sells encouraging products such as wristbands and T-shirts in which all the proceeds are donated to charity. It demonstrates how people from all over the world can relate and support those who are struggling with the same problem; it provides a sense of togetherness and unity. It has become more than a movement; it has become a community that people can turn to whenever they're upset; in a world where you constantly see photoshopped people or discouraging posts, a mere picture of your favorite band member or celebrity telling you that you are special and important can turn your day around.
