Rumer Willis was bullied in the past, and the pain has not ended. The daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, who so charmed viewers on Dancing With The Stars that she won the coveted trophy, is now revealing that she still is bullied, reported Us Weekly.
However, Rumer added that she now has learned how to take risks despite the bullying.
“I’d say that before this year, I was kind of stuck,” reflected the 26-year-old.
And because she so feared making mistakes, Willis added that she felt paralyzed by the fear.
“Fear is a really debilitating emotion… Until recently, the thought of making one misstep that could be criticized would stop me from trying new things and from standing up for myself.”
But then several important elements transformed Rumer’s mental outlook. First, she thanks sisters Scout and Tallulah for motivating herself to take chances. And second, she dared to accept the opportunity to learn and grow on Dancing With the Stars.
That first broadcast appearance caused anxiety — but when it was over, Willis felt forever changed, she revealed.
“The first day I danced on-air, I was nervous; I had been struggling, and the dress rehearsal hadn’t gone well. But after I finished I felt more beautiful than I had in my entire life. Not because of how I looked… but because of what I’d accomplished and worked so hard for.”
And yet, despite that win on DWTS, the bullying continues, as does the impact of the cruelty, added Rumer.
“I still have low moments,” admitted Willis. “Just because I was celebrated on Dancing With the Stars doesn’t mean the bullying has stopped. After the show started, I had to block almost 10 people every day on social media because they wouldn’t leave me alone.”
And Rumer is not alone. Various anti-bullying programs have developed in response to those who, like Willis, often suffer in silence, including Stand For The Silent.
As the Inquistir reported, Bill Klein revealed that he struggled with bullying and depression throughout his life. The star of reality TV show The Little Couple noted that at his darkest moments, he considered suicide.
“I was bullied more than I’d like to remember,” said Klein.
Among those trying to make a difference for those who are bullied is pop singer Lady Gaga, who just was honored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for her anti-bullying Born This Way Foundation, reported Haaretz.
“The Foundation shares ADL’s mission of combating bullying among young people,” said the organization.
“This is such an incredible honor,” stated Lady Gaga. “The No Place For Hate Making A Difference Award is a huge deal for both of us, especially because of all of the hard work ADL has been doing to fight anti-Semitism, homophobia, bigotry and intolerance for the past 100 years.”
[Photo by Charley Gallay / Getty Images for Benefit Cosmetics]