Here at UYD we love meeting changemakers and people doing things to spread positivity all over the world so we were pretty excited when we got a chance to talk to Glabber. Glabber is a positive social network where you can express yourself and celebrate life in a positive way to attract even more positivity in your life!
UYD: So tell me this. Why did Glabber start the #GLABBERchallenge against bullying?
Glabber: Bullying is a social disease, so it must be cured through a social method
that counteracts it. As a positive social network, Glabber has a
responsibility to try and find a social cure, and we believe that the cure
is created through building awareness about bullying and unifying together
under one cause to counteract and end bullying once and for all.
UYD: Why did Glabber choose the tongue for the #GLABBERchallenge against bullying?
Glabber: How does bullying start? Through harsh and undermining words. The tongue
is what forms the insulting words that bullies use to inflict pain. By
sticking your tongue out you are making a statement that you are against
bullying, you won’t bully, and you will speak up if you see someone being
bullied.
UYD: In your opinion, why is it such a bad social disease?
Glabber: People who are bullied experience: self-confidence issues and loss of
sense of self; self harm, such as cutting to punish themselves; social
ostracization; deterioration of academic achievement, with an tendency to
miss, skip or drop out of school; health problems, changes in eating and
sleeping patterns; drug and alcohol abuse; loss of interest in activities
they once enjoyed; emotional and mental distress as well as anxiety
disorders, increase in depression, sadness, loneliness and a much higher
risk of suicide. Many of these issues can persist into adulthood and
affect them for the rest of their life in dealing with friends,
relationships and other social situations.
UYD: Very true. If it is okay can you talk about personal experiences that any of you may have had with bullying, and why the Glabber App was first created.
Glabber: Both Glabber Co-Founders were bullied in school, and it was a very
traumatic experience. School was a very uncomfortable place to be at
times, and no one should have to go through the same experience. No child
deserves to have his or her childhood marred by bullying.
The Glabber App was first created to provide a simple, easy way to take
the #GLABBERchallenge and share it instantly on other popular social
networks like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Tumblr. In addition, many
filters were added to give people more ways to take the challenge, and do
it more than once.
UYD: So this has taken off a bit to the point that there has been some celebrity involvement. Can you talk about that and the future of the #GLABBERchallenge?
Glabber: Celebrities have a huge impact on kids and teens who often look up to them
as role models. Glabber was lucky enough to get a surge of celebrities
encouraging others to stand up against bullying. Some of the celebrities
who have taken the #GLABBERchallenge already include Isaac Mizrahi,
fashion designer; Stacy London, style guru; Bethenny Frankel from The Real
Housewives of New York and Skinnygirl; contestants from The Voice, Project
Runway and Project Runway All Stars; stars from Million Dollar Listing LA,
Below Deck, Euros of Hollywood, Jersey Belle, Top Chef and Top Chef
Masters; The People’s Couch, Millionaire Matchmaker, The Bachelor,
America’s Next Top Model and Girl Code; as well as Oprah’s OWN
Ambassadors, and various bands, musicians and comedians.
By uniting together and sticking our tongues out against bullying for the
#GLABBERchallenge, people send a very strong message that bullying needs
to end. Every person who takes the challenge is one more person who will
be aware that they personally won’t bully, and that if they see someone
else bullying they will speak up. Sometimes this is all it takes to
prevent someone from being bullied, someone stepping in and speaking up
for the person being bullied. Glabber hopes that it will continue to grow
and effect change this year, and make a real difference in the lives of
kids and teens everywhere.
UYD: Thank you very much before we go, how can people get involved?
Glabber: Thank you for interviewing us! People can get involved by taking a quick
selfie or video sticking their tongue out against bullying and adding the
hashtag #GLABBERchallenge on any social network, then get 2 more people to
take the #GLABBERchallenge or share their bullying story on
http://GLABBERchallenge.glabber.com
When you use the Glabber App you can choose between 27 different filters
for your selfie or video, and it will be added to the official
#GLABBERchallenge Page. You can also easily share it to your Facebook,
Twitter, Tumblr and YouTube at the same time.
