Peyton List talks about bullying and National Anti-Bullying Month
Every girl is strong, powerful and beautiful! That’s a core belief of Girls on the Run, which provides a 12-week after-school program to empower girls ages 8-14, and it’s one of the values the program instills in its participants. Part of their curriculum includes an anti-bullying lesson, “Beware of Bullies!”
October is National Anti-Bullying Month, and we asked teen actress Peyton List (Jessie) about her support of Girls on the Run her and own experience with bullying.
On Jessie, your character, Emma, encounters bullying at school. Was that storyline especially important to you and why?
Emma gets bullied in school by a girl named Brynn who turns friends against her. This storyline was especially important to me because I feel like every girl encounters a mean person/bully in her life, whether it’s cyber bullying, a mean person in school, or a kid at the playground.
Have you experienced bullying in real life?
I’ve been bullied in real life. A lot of it started once I started becoming successful in my acting career.
You’re a supporter and guest coach for Girls on the Run. How did you get involved, and why is the program important to you?
I got involved with Girls on The Run through a woman who works on the set of Jessie. She gave me a T-shirt with the Girls on the Run message, and I instantly said, “This is where I want to volunteer.”
What would you want to say to girls who are being bullied in school?
I want to tell them to stand up to their bullies. I wish I had. The thing is, you don’t want to stoop to their level. For example, if they push you, don’t push them back—get an adult you can trust.
Editorial Director | Writer | Tweet me @heatherriccio
