Public Speaking Speech

Hey! Remember ages ago when I said I was doing several public speaking competitions? Well, I've done them all (as far as I know anyway...) and I won the first one but didn't place in the second one. My topic was bullying and I thank everyone who helped me out with it. I thought you might like to see the finished product. I could be completely wrong and you might not care in the slightest. But I'm posting it anyway :) So, without further ado, my public speaking speech:


"Don't judge a book by it's cover" I'm sure you have all heard that statement before, but have you ever really given it much thought?

Good morning/afternoon chairperson, timekeeper and members of the audience, my topic today is bullying.

Everyday people are judged by what they look like or how they dress instead of their personality. Just because they dress differently, people tease them or stereotype them. For example, if they wear black? They're goth or emo. If they're a cheerleader? That automatically makes them a stupid ditz. It is a form of bullying.
Have you ever thought that perhaps someone wears black just because they like the colour? Or they're a cheerleader for sport instead of playing something like netball? So many people are outcast because of their religion, race, sexuality, disabilities or just because they don't wear the 'latest trend'. I think this needs to stop.

World war 2 was a good example of being an outcast and hurt just because of their religion. The Jews were sent to work hard or were executed because they they believed in something different to others. Or what about Muslims? The women cover their faces but if they go to some countries, they are forced to remove their veils. Has anyone ever thought that this may be an insult to THEIR religion?

Sexuality has been a major cause of bullying for years. Some people think it's 'wrong' to love someone of the same gender. If you're in love you're in love, right? Its not something you choose. So what's the harm in that? Just because someones gay, lesbian or bisexual it doesn't mean they don't have feelings.

Ah yes, looks. Something so many people get teased and bullied about everyday. If someones slightly overweight? They must be fat and not know what self control is. Or perhaps if they're really skinny they're anorexic. Have you ever thought about the people who starve themselves because someone called them fat even if they weren't? The people, girls most of the time but not always, who really are anorexic or bulimic as the result of bullying. Some people self-harm and starve themselves just because people say that they aren't perfect, well, NEWS FLASH nobody IS perfect.

The sad thing is, that these days, eating disorders are quite common. People are constantly called fat, or are told that they will never be pretty. But you wanna know the worst thing? After a while people start believing what others say and think that they have to change to fit in. Don't EVER change for someone else, be who you are! And if they don't like it, well too bad.

So many lives are lost each year because they were told they weren't right, whether it was because of their race, looks, religion, sexuality or so many other causes! It's all bullying in one way or another. And it NEEDS to stop.

Someone once said:
HER? The girl you just called fat? Shes been starving herself and has lost over 30 pounds. The boy you called stupid? He has a learning disability and studies over 4 hours a night. The girl you called ugly? She spends hours putting on makeup in hope that people will like her. The boy you tripped? He's abused at home. There's a lot more to peoples life than you'd ever understand. Actions speak louder than words....