Here is what happened when this woman responded with slips to those who wrote offensive comments about her body

There are many ways to deal with people who comment negatively on us, especially on the internet where the phenomenon is most common. Some choose to ignore negative criticism, while others react.

22year Lexie Manion, a New Jersey-based activist, decided to respond with slips to people who wrote bad comments on a recent photo of her.

The comments and messages that Manion received were about her body and weight, after posting a full-length photo of herself on Instagram. In an attempt to dispel the common notion that large women must feel very comfortable with themselves in order to wear revealing clothes, the young woman "uploaded" photos of herself in a short and another transparent blouse.

I used to shy away from the "you're glorifying obesity" argument. Those words made me feel ashamed because they made me question what I was doing. "Am I sharing a message I'm proud of?" "Am I doing the right thing?" And ultimately, "Am I glorifying obesity?" I see now that I am glorifying obesity. And I say that with pride now rather than hiding my face out of shame. And if this offends you, I want you to consider this: I'm unhealthy, but what does that have to do with my worth as a human being? It might take some time to unlearn what you've been taught, or maybe your willfulness will make that impossible, but to me, one's weight has absolutely nothing to do with their worth. I am a relatively good person, I do not intentionally hurt others and if I do, I apologize, I spread love and kindness, I am working hard to be healthier mentally and physically, I'm a good friend, I'm compassionate , and I also happen to be fat. Why does my appearance matter so much to you - a stranger on the internet who does not know me or care about my well-being beyond my social media profile - that all these good qualities about myself are demolished once you know what I look like ? To me, if you're a relatively good person, you have worth and you are worthy of good things. I also believe that me showing up and living freely despite what critics say is revolutionary. Standing out in a fat body in this day and age is brave. Because we live in a society that shames and dehumanizes those who are deemed “too fat”. We are constantly seen as unworthy and useless, so us taking back the power and realizing our own worth is everything. Challenging beauty standards and the systems that have been put in place that prevent fat people from living freely is a revolution. I hope one day it's not; I hope one day we can all just let people be and focus on ourselves. But, today, it is. So here I am. I glorify obesity. I also glorify getting physically and mentally healthier as I have been working on my fitness, and doing hard work in therapy. And I am proud to be glorifying love, rather than hate.

A post shared by Lexie (@lexiemanion) on October 12, 2017 1 at: 34pm PDT

When some commenters left abusive comments, Manion first set her account to private, blocking the trolls and responding to each one individually. Later, although she still felt weak and irritable, she did a test: she sent slippery messages to each user.

«Although I had low expectations, I thought people would understand that they were making fun of a real and compassionate person and the next time they left a negative comment on someone, they would think twice", Wrote Manion.

«I texted a girl who wrote me that my photos are disgusting. My message to her was that I liked the way she wrote her name and she then thanked me, adding that she also likes the way I write mine", Said the 22-year-old.

«People think they can say and do whatever they want, but nothing on the internet is anonymous. It is very easy to type something and send it and it is very far from saying something in front of the other».

As a woman, I feel so much pressure to look put together and well-dressed every single day. As a plus size woman, I feel that pressure even more so than when I was a straight size. I think part of that is because there are plus size women out there who have hid their bodies under baggy clothes for long periods of time - whether it be because we were ashamed to show our bodies or because we did not have access to clothes we like that fit. Another part of this reasoning is because people judge. I already have a strike against me for going out in public as a fat person; I'm looked down upon and shamed. And I get another strike if I'm not dressed well. This world cares so much about image, so sometimes we have to conform to the pressures. Because as a woman, if I'm not wearing makeup, I'm told I look 'sick' and 'tired', and maybe even 'ugly'. As a woman, if I'm wearing a simple and comfy outfit, I'm not 'trying hard enough'. As a plus size woman, if I'm wearing comfy clothes, I'm seen as 'not trying hard enough' too, but even more so because I'm fat. In many people's eyes, fat equals lazy / unhealthy / gross. So it's another strike of judgment when I'm not putting all my effort into that day's look. And especially now that I have embraced my body as a fat person, people also expect me to ALWAYS be wearing risqué clothing. I'm here to tell you to eff the rules. If you want to wear something baggy (I do for comfort or on days I do not want to stand out), you are no less confident or worthy. You don't HAVE to always look like a 10. What matters is that you feel like a 10, or that you are working towards that number (because you deserve to feel good about yourself!). We may have days we do not want to wear makeup, or form fitting clothing, or more risqué outfits. That does not mean that we hate ourselves or that we were faking being confident all along. It just means whatever because it simply does not matter. You do not have to wear sheer clothing, less clothing or tight clothing (unless you want to!) To prove you are confident or body positive. Confidence is not just how we look; it can also be seen in how we speak, and in how we treat ourselves and others.

A post shared by Lexie (@lexiemanion) on October 6, 2017 5 at: 50pm PDT