It's no secret the Internet isn't the best place to turn to if you're looking for a boost of confidence, but do you ever stop to think about the far-reaching effects of critical virtual comments?
Fitness guru Cassey Ho profoundly illustrates how cyber-bullying can negatively impact one's self-esteem in a new video for her YouTube channel titled "The Perfect Body."
In the now-viral clip, the founder of Blogilates, who has been connecting with fans and sharing fitness tips for the past five years (her channel currently has over two million subscribers), snaps a selfie in the mirror and uploads the pic to social media, only to find herself being berated by followers, who were quick to judge her figure. Ho then "Photoshops" herself to create the "perfect body," slimming her waist, enhancing her breasts and booty, trimming down her jawline and even changing her eye color. The video ends with an image of Ho in her natural state, accompanied with the text, "What Would You Change About Yourself?"
The clip was uploaded to YouTube one week ago and currently has over two million views. Prior to posting the video, Ho tweeted out an image of her "Photoshopped" pic—and the results were rather shocking.
The fitness buff told ABC News she received a "whole myriad" of comments ranging from "you're too anorexic to you have an image disorder" while others applauded her doctored shape, posting remarks such as "Body goals."
"It was everything that is wrong with our society in the same photo," she said, adding that, "The whole point of the video is to show the mean comments and cyber bullying --- it can really change your perception of yourself."
In addition to the video, Ho also blogged about cyber-bullying, explaining how cruel comments can drastically alter a person's self-worth.
"Since I've started YouTube, I've definitely been attacked here and there," she wrote. "I've learned how to deal with it by growing a thicker skin. Within the past few months though, it's gotten really negative online. It's actually been terrible. Not just comments, but people making full on videos trash talking my body and my techniques as a certified fitness instructor.
"You may not know it, but when things get bad, I try my best to hold back my tears and tighten my mouth so that I don't frown," Ho continued. "But sometimes, it gets to be too much. So I break. In this video, you will experience what it feels like to be constantly bombarded with outrageous negativity. You will see what it looks like to have your self esteem stripped away. You will read real comments left by real people. You will see me struggle with my own appearance."
She concluded by asking fans to "please share this video to battle body shaming and cyber bullying."
What do you think of the clip? Tell us in the comments.