A BRAVE eight-year-old has won the hearts and minds of the many millions who tuned in to watch the Late Late Toy Show after speaking candidly about her own experiences with bullying.
Sophia Maher opened up to host Ryan Tubridy about the difficulties she has experienced ever since getting a cropped haircut.
“The bullies. People kick me, they call me weirdo, they slag off my hair,” she told Tubridy.
“I love your hair,” Tubridy replied.
“I love that you’re a little different to someone out there because difference is a badge of honour.
“If you didn’t look like that, you would look like everyone else and that would just be bloody boring.”
Eager to show support for Sophia, Tubridy encouraged the audience to get involved, telling her “So it is gorgeous for you to be who you are, are we all agreed on that?”
Receiving a round of applause, Sophia thanked the host and those in attendance for their support, before Tubridy offered some advice.
“I’ll tell you something, this is a really good lesson to know,” he said.
“I know it’s not easy right now and that can happen in life, but I will say one thing, as someone who is 400 years old…”
“…No, you’re 20,” Sophia joked.
He continued “I will tell you this, even for kids at home who are going through a tough time, bullies never win. They never win at life, they never win as a kid, they never win when they’re old, and you will win because you’re a gorgeous human being.”
The segment finished with Sophia offering one final bit of advice.
She said: “Don’t let the bullies stop you from doing the things that you want to do. And life would just suck if everyone was the same.”
