Raini Rodriguez Opens Up About How Cyberbullying Got To Her & How She Turned It Around Into A Teachable Moment (Exclusive)

Raini Rodriguez Opens Up About How Cyberbullying Got To Her & How She Turned It Around Into A Teachable Moment (Exclusive)

Cyberbullying is a huge issue right now and something that we need to tackle head on – and that’s exactly what Raini Rodriguez is doing.

If you’re a fan of the former Austin & Ally actress, like we are, you’ve probably noticed the ugly comments on her social media and you’ve noticed her lack of a reply. But there’s a reason for that.

“This has been happening since November of last year, but I didn’t say anything because I don’t like to give trolls their power by responding,” Raini tells JJJ when we caught up with her recently.

However, something changed between November and now – she had had enough.

“I saw what happened with Millie Bobby Brown and Kelly Marie Tran from Star Wars and both of them quit social media because of bullying and harassment and it really bothered me because somebody has to say something!” Raini added. “I’m not some HUGE star to say, ‘Every bully in the world stop!’”

“But for the people who are doing something to me, I said, ‘Stop! You do not have control over me and my thoughts and my positivity that I choose to spread. So I’m going to take this and make it a positive thing and continue posting what I want to post and living my best life and spreading my positivity to whoever likes to receive it because I’m not going to live my life according to you.’”

She continued, “When I saw that other people were letting it affect them, I understand it’s so hard. Especially when they make you feel like it’s all of them against you, one person against the entire Internet. That can be scary until you see people saying, ‘I support you, I love you, you’re amazing’ in your own support system, then you feel like you can conquer anything and you really can! You can’t let other people have the ability to control your life because it’s your life. You have to be who you want to be!”

Raini also spoke to us about how cyberbullying is taking over the internet and her advice for those affected by it.

Click inside to see what she said!

“I think it’s that darker part of the Internet where like they say if you watch too many YouTube videos you’ll go into this dark hole of things you can’t unsee…I feel like that’s what’s happening with Twitter and Instagram for whatever reason,” Raini says.

“You know, getting bullied at any age is never right and it never feels good no matter how confident you are in yourself, you will always have that moment of being like, ‘Okay well that hurts my feelings!’ And then you have to get to a point within yourself to go, ‘You know what, I live my life for myself, not for anybody else. I love my family, I love my career, I love my dog, I love my friends, I love exactly where I’m at! So I’m going to keep posting photos and sending out tweets, even if you’re going to send crazy responses. Because it’s my profile I can block, I can mute, I can do what I want to not see that.’”

Raini‘s advice to everyone going through what she is: know that you have an amazing support system right beside you.

“At the end of the day, I think you have to have a strong support system around you of your family to be like, ‘Hey look at what this person is saying on the Internet’ and for my brother to be like, ‘That’s not true! That’s so lame. Block them, you don’t have to look at that or just take a break from social media!’ And I’m like, ‘You know what, you’re absolutely right!’ And then it gets to a point where you don’t care anymore because you’re loving your life and that’s what I’m all about! That’s me in a nutshell! Head twirl, hair flip and I’m out!”

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Photos: WENN
Posted to: Exclusive, Raini Rodriguez