So for me the term "Bully" has become so relevant in today's society that EVERYONE is a bully, EVERYONE is being bullied, and in all honesty there's a HUGE difference between disliking someone and expressing that and being a bully.
Because this is MY space and MY opinion I would like to share MY own story. I won't bother rehashing my bullying experience in high school but I have been thinking more and more about why people use the term bullying so much.
Sometimes it's easier to go with what's relevant and not have to sit down and explain things. But here is the thing when we don't take time and decipher differences we devalue the importance of a word's meaning.
Teasing is when you poke fun at a friend whether it's an inside joke or something you just discovered. It can be anywhere from a word they say funny to the way they laugh. You're both in on the joke and laugh together.
Joking is when you make a joke towards someone you do not know. You either say "I'm just joking" after you say it or put LOL. You are making them KNOW without any hesitation you are joking and mean no disrespect.
Bullying starts the minute they say they are offended. If you were intending to tease or joke and they say "I was offended that wasn't funny" and YOU KEEP AT IT: that's bullying. Apologizing negates it from being an act of bullying...ONCE! You cannot keep thinking you are teasing and joking with someone if you constantly are having to apologize. That too is bullying. Avoiding bullying is not just about apologizing for the behavior, it's also about making sure you do not do it again.
For example when I was younger I was very sexually flirty with str8 guys. It was my way of making them comfortable around me. When they would come up to me and say they were offended by it I'd get upset and tell them they are homophobic. I'd also continue to do it. That was bullying. Sidenote: I grew up and realized my behavior. It still doesn't change the fact that I bullied them, but I did indeed learn my lesson. Today if you can't take a compliment (not flirtation) then we can't be friends. I will never apologize for a compliment nor should you. "I think you are a very good looking person." "Thanks but I'm not gay." "I know you aren't but that has nothing to do with me giving you a compliment." If I have to explain my compliment we cannot talk anymore.
Another example I was on Mo Mandel's Facebook page as a fan after watching him on "Chelsea Lately." I personally think Mo Mandel is hot and funny. If you look him up some pix he looks like he has brown curly hair. On the show to me he looked like he had red curly hair. I have a thing for redheads BIG TIME. So on his wall I put "You're the hottest red head" and his response "I'm not a redhead, motherfucker." I was BESIDE myself. I'm sure he meant it as a joke, but there's an unspoken rule you NEVER EVER use the MF word to ANYONE unless they are your friend and even then it's touch and go with that word. Well I most DEFINITELY blocked him and vowed if he was ever on "Chelsea Lately" I would turn the dial. In fact I stopped watching it for months because I didn't want to see him on there. When I realized Chelsea loved me and telepathically knew I no longer was a fan of Mo's (he hasn't been on the show since February or March) I tuned back in. I decided to voice my opinions on twitter. "Weird thing is he favorited a tweet I basically called him a douchebag." I'm sorry but any profanity towards someone admiring you gets venom. That's what you've earned and deserve. What Mo did was bully me; he KNEW that'd be offensive whether it was a joke to him or not.
Another example is I was probably THE BIGGEST Stephen Amell fan on the planet. I've watched almost all of his work from his Natalee Holloway movie to his "Hung" performance and was going to watch his "Private Practice" guest star role. He was very prominent on Twitter and quirky personality star. THEN he got the show "Arrow" on CW as lead, he got married, and suddenly he wasn't as quirky or vocal. Michael Muhney is a soap actor who's very on and off with Twitter, but his fans understand. This was different. Stephen I think began believing his own press and for me became very arrogant. He never did anything personally, but I just feel his persona has changed. He was on "Chelsea Lately" recently and it was like he flipped the switch and was the Stephen I use to be a huge fan of. But it's a little too late. I'm expressing I'm no longer a fan. I'm not bashing/bullying him in any way. See the difference?
On another sidenote: I think celebrities should come out with their own bullying tales. For example did you know Adam Levine and Henry Cavill were both bullied? I think this will help in the "It Gets Better" campaign as well.