#TeamTayja: Social Media Praises High School Girl Bullied Because of Prom Photo

The Internet can be a cruel place, and a high school student who thought she could share her prom photos on Facebook learned that the hard way. Last week 17-year-old Tayja Jones of Pottsgrove, Pa., attendedย Pottsgrove High Schoolโ€™s prom, and after she posted her photo, nasty comments started rolling in. Suggested Reading We Finally Know…

The Internet can be a cruel place, and a high school student who thought she could share her prom photos on Facebook learned that the hard way. Last week 17-year-old Tayja Jones of Pottsgrove, Pa., attendedย Pottsgrove High Schoolโ€™s prom, and after she posted her photo, nasty comments started rolling in.

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Tayja is still having a hard time dealing with the criticism and taunts she received online, but she still had words of encouragement for others dealing with cyberbullying.

โ€œI made a status when I came home from the prom that night, and it said I enjoyed myself and Iโ€™m happy. I had fun,โ€ Tayja stated. But then her photo went viral.

โ€œThere were just, like, so many rude remarks and negative comments about how I looked. People I didnโ€™t know, just, like, โ€˜That dress is not for her; she looks like a fat something,โ€™โ€ Tayja recalls.

The comments included remarks like the one below, about her looks and weight.

โ€œIt was just really hurtful because I was so confident the day before, and it just changed my view of myself,โ€ she said.

โ€œShe was just really depressed and sad. She doesnโ€™t want to go out the house. She doesnโ€™t want to go to school. She doesnโ€™t want to go nowhere,โ€ said her mother, Natina Parker.

But there are those who have stood up for Tayja. Tweets filled with encouragement have been rolling in, including one from a celebrity. Tayjaโ€™s story caught the eye of Kelly Rowland:

https://twitter.com/KELLYROWLAND/status/727565350506745856https://twitter.com/EnClaudeNeuf/status/727052936057098240https://twitter.com/AriiMx/status/727166513820631042

โ€œYouโ€™re not the only person. You should know who you are inside, and the outside shouldnโ€™t affect the inner you. Just stay strong,โ€ she said.

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