Woman Cruelly Teased By Bullies For Her Appearance Gets The Last Laugh
As a young girl in Melbourne, Australia, Diane Frick tells the Daily Mail that she was cruelly picked on.
"I was always a chubby kid and was bullied my entire childhood. The bullies in school made my life hell and I'd get called fat and ugly every day."
Bullies frequently called her 'piggy' and said she had pimply skin, frizzy hair and bad clothes.
The torment didn't stop there.
"They made songs about me and would sing that I was ‘fat to the bone’ to the tune of ‘bad to the bone’,” she recalls.
The emotional scars stayed far after she graduated, and although she wasn’t "massively overweight," she was eating poorly and didn’t exercise, leaving her sluggish and depressed.
Flexing back
Ironically, Frick's turning point occurred on the couch.
"I remember I was sick on the couch in late 2018 with the flu and feeling sorry for myself, when I started Googling all the girls I wanted to look like," she recalls.
Frick noticed a pattern: They were all bodybuilding competitors. With that, she found a coach who prepped bikini models.
She overhauled her diet, cutting out junk food and alcohol, and took up weight training. The changes paid off, as she dropped three dress sizes and trimmed from 34.7% body fat to 12%.
As her body transformed and confidence soared, Frick took on a bold new challenge: Entering an Australian INBA (International Natural Bodybuilding Association) event.
Frick said that just entering the competition was a win in itself.
So for that bullied girl to transform, not only physically but mentally, and be able to stand on stage in a bikini and ask professionals to judge her body is massive.
Diane Frick
However, when the smoke cleared, Frick was a winner in title too, crowned INBA bikini champion.
For someone who spent most of her life hating the person she saw in the mirror, it was surreal.
“I never imagined I could be proud of my body. I would always wear clothes that covered everything and was so hateful and ashamed of myself."
Use adversity as fuel
Since winning her crown, Frick uses her platform to shed light on the effects of bullying, and also to inspire others to use it as fuel.
It's true that sometimes you need to be destroyed to rebuild stronger. I'll never forget the way I was treated but it has definitely made me a resilient person.
Diane Frick
There's no question that bullying is cruel, and it's hard to fathom the suffering that Diane Frick went through.
However, there's also a powerful message to her story. Hate and ignorance will be around as long as we're alive. Frick reminds us that we can use those moments to sharpen our focus and determination towards becoming an unstoppable force.
More uplifting news:
Military Dad Defends His 4 Little Daughters When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Military Dad of 4 Daughters Defends His Girls When Strangers Make This Rude Remark
Austin von Letkemann is the military officer strangers feel "sorry" for — and the reason is infuriating.
Whenever the devoted father leaves the house with his four children, strangers can't help but notice the officer in uniform is holding hands with 4 adorable little girls. They will tell the traditionally "masculine" and "all American" dad they feel sorry for him, because he has no sons. This dad makes one thing very clear: They are his daughters, they aren't a burden.
In a passionate video, von Letkemann took to Instagram to share with his followers that the only thing that's "difficult" about being a girl dad — is clapping back to these sexist remarks over and over again.
They Mock His Daughters To Their Face
When strangers approach Austin von Letkemann and his four daughters, they don't always realize that their comments are being overheard. They seem oblivious to the fact that his girls understand every word. Von Letkemann describes how people will approach him and, without thinking, make remarks like "I'm sorry" or even joke about his lack of sons. What they don't realize is that these comments, intended to be light-hearted or humorous, can be deeply hurtful to his daughters. These strangers are not just disrespecting von Letkemann's choices as a father; they're also sending a message to his daughters that their presence is something to be pitied. It’s a message that von Letkemann won't stand for, and he's speaking out to defend his girls from these insensitive remarksSaying "Get Your Shotgun" Isn't Funny — It's Sexist
Another common comment that Austin von Letkemann encounters is the old "better get your shotgun ready" trope, often delivered with a smirk or a wink. This line is typically intended to suggest that a father with daughters should be on high alert to protect them from potential "suitors," implying that they are objects to be guarded rather than individuals with agency.
Von Letkemann finds this line of thinking outdated and sexist. In his viral Instagram video, he points out that these jokes are not just stale — they're damaging.
By suggesting that his daughters require armed protection, the joke reinforces the idea that women are inherently vulnerable and need to be shielded from men. Von Letkemann argues that instead of promoting this narrative, society should focus on teaching respect and consent, challenging these sexist tropes at their source.
Watch Austin von Letkemann's Video:
"If I Had A Fifth Child, I'd HOPE It Was A Girl" — One Dad's Message For Other Parents
Despite the constant remarks about his lack of sons, Austin von Letkemann is clear: He wouldn't trade his daughters for anything.
In fact, he told his Instagram followers that if he were to have a fifth child, he would hope for another girl. This declaration isn't just about doubling down on his pride in his family — it's a pointed response to those who see fathering daughters as a misfortune.
Von Letkemann's stance is a powerful one, rejecting the notion that a family is incomplete without sons. He encourages others to question the assumptions behind these comments and to appreciate the joy and fulfillment that his daughters bring. By sharing his story, von Letkemann hopes to create a more inclusive perspective on fatherhood, one that values daughters just as much as sons.