In the present atmosphere of expanding sympathy toward privileges of people and gatherings, whether because of race, sex, inability, religion, or sexual introduction, the privilege to be taught without agony from victimization from bullying has resounded with experts and the general population.
The issue is regularly gotten by the media. This has cooperated in a synergistic manner with the development of examination.
The purpose of bullying has mushroomed in academic journals and social occasions. It is presently generally characterized as an efficient misuse of force (Rigby, 2002) and all the more particularly as intentional forceful conduct that is rehashed against a casualty who can't promptly guard him-or herself (Olweus, 1999).
All things considered, it can happen in numerous connections. In the home environment, bullying in which often involves children generally goes by the term of abuse and will not be reviewed here except insofar as it relates to school bullying.
There are many types of bullying: physical, relational, cyber and verbal. Verbal bullying or bullying with cruel spoken words involves ongoing name-calling, threatening, and making disrespectful comments about someone's attributes (appearance, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, etc.)
The issue that I have chosen is verbal bullying. This has always been my personal problem and it has affected me by being discouraged on trying to participate and socialize in activities not only in school but also outside it such as family reunions, church group activities and etc.
I have never trusted myself to be able to function like a normal person because I grew up with my family always verbally abusing me. They would never inflict physical sanctions but they would taunt me with words describing me like stupidity, ugly, worthless and etc.
It expanded through the verbal bullying I experienced by my peers in school (all throughout elementary and high school) because I was always the “odd one” with my tall, lanky, uneven complexion and clumsy disposition. With that, I grew up hating myself (my own body and persona) and I always depend on the perceptions of others to evaluate my ability to be part of something that is normal and positive.
This personal issue of mine shall be encompassed in a performance art inspired by the untitled live artwork (also a social experiment) titled Radical Self-Acceptance by an artist and body activist named Amy Pence-Brown.
She portrayed self-acceptance through her project in where she stood in the middle of the Capital City Public Market in downtown Boise, Idaho wearing nothing but a black bikini and holding two Black markers while blindfolded.
Her project was also inspired from a group called Liberators International which featured Jae West, a thin woman who stood in London’s Picadilly Circus in her underwear and asking people to draw hearts on her body too.
This was a planned undertaking for which Pence-Brown requested authorization from the chief of the rancher's business sector early. Keeping in mind she didn't anticipate that anybody will really draw a heart on her, numerous did.
Furthermore, others went so far as to express gratitude toward her for her gallant demonstration and the message she's attempting to spread thru social media.
Amy Pence-Brown exposed her big thighs, rounded belly, stretch marks, and cellulite and tried to ask if the people around her think it’s okay to love a body like that. It gathered attention from the media and it resonated around the worldwide with positive support contained in emails, social media posts and of course the performance itself.
She conceived the project from the awareness at how her body was politicized and so she decided to use it as a vessel for social change as well as an art.
My performance art was based on Amy Pence Brown’s project with modifications. Instead of requiring a very public place such as the public market, I used the stage in the classroom where the gallery exhibit will be taking place.
I wore a long white sleeves blouse and white leggings where the block mates can write words about me; whether they are positive and negative as long as it is about me. These clothes represent the low self-esteem part in me.
Underneath the white long sleeves and leggings, I had a white tank top and boxers for the final procedure of the performance. It represented my clean slate after being tarnished by the words. I provided two black markers for my block mates to write in my white clothes that will represent their perception of the artist (either physically or psychologically).
The whole performance included 2 background songs. They are Vega Choir's rendition of Creep by Radiohead and Perfect (by Pink) covered by the band AMHIR for an anti-bullying campaign video uploaded in YouTube.
These background songs signify the haunting melodies with the perfect messages of my personal issue. The song Creep talks about the low self-esteem of the singer and the rendition I have chosen captures whatever I feel when someone bullies me.
The second background song which is Perfect, suits the second part of the creative process because while it addresses the issue. It also implies the acceptance and positive evaluation of oneself against the negative perceptions of others. These two songs served as the timekeeper of the whole performance art.
The first background song began to play for 3 loops when I proceeded to stand in the middle of the stage. I hold out two black markers and briefly explained to them what they are to do.
It was done while I am bowing down and looking only on the floor the whole time. After the first song ends, they all finished writing in my clothes.
I changed into the next background song and dressed down the vandalized clothes. I was left with my white tank top and boxers. I will threw the clothes in the nearest trash bin then smiled. I hugged my block mates until the whole song ends.
The performance served as an initial step towards finally lifting my issue of having low self-esteem. Throwing away the vandalized clothes represents the not prioritizing or letting other people’s perception drown my own evaluation/perception of myself.
It is a metaphorical act of discarding everybody else’s thoughts about me. The overall performance resonates the verbal abuse being given to a person and that person will not be giving a thing or two to let it negatively effect and bring self-destruction in the end.
Lessons are learned while preparing for this type of performance art. While picking out songs and listening to it with all the heart, I found the state of my mind and soul being projected and described precisely by the song artists.
I have also been sort of preparing myself for the possibilities of distressing about what will others think of me after I execute the performance art that shows my vulnerabilities, I just will myself to remember that this art is submersion of oneself to transcendence.