BY LAURA DELARATO
I’m not going to please every single person with my online presence, and I’m certainly not out to change minds by replying back to a person who dislikes my body type or hates my opinion so much they’ll type a three paragraph response for why I’m wrong. And that’s fine. I don’t need to be liked by everyone. Nonetheless, it is surprising the cruelty that can generate when safely behind a computer screen while remarking under an alias. Dating apps, comment sections, Instagram replies — there are zero restricted areas when it comes to being a dick on the Internet.
This is not just me. This is you. This is every person (i.e.: every woman) that has decided to express themselves on a public forum. And I get it…it’s the Internet where we are just supposed to deal with it. No. We use the Internet excuse too much especially when unsolicited sexual or health conversations. I’m done replying back to idiots or having to sit with an ignorant comment from a dude on Tinder.
Below are a few images from my untitled self-portrait project dedicated to not being silent while being virtually attacked.
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Laura Delarato is a video babe and writer at Refinery29. She is a staunch body positive activist, illustrator, sex educator and painter based in Brooklyn. Her work is deeply planted within body politics, fitness, and sex education. She also loves breakfast, banishing spells, her bike, and bikinis.