How Introverts Can Tell Off Bullies
Under verbal attack, I typically go into speechless shock. I need time to process — apparently a common trait for empaths and introverts — and generally don’t blurt out a snappy come-back. However, I have a process I’ve used for decades: write a speech, memorize it, and deliver it (or a variation on it) next time you run into the bully.
This began back when I was a sophomore in high school and took the required speech class. Having severe social anxiety, I absolutely dreaded that class, though my favorite teacher, Ms. Downard, taught it (in addition to first year English and all Spanish classes).
The instructor made the class tolerable. The first time I delivered a speech, I made no eye contact with classmates and may have looked too much at my index cards. After each of my speeches, the instructor suggested I do this or that — for instance, she suggested next time I look slightly above the heads of my classmates, so I did that. Next time she suggested attempting to make eye contact, so I did that — actually looking around the room and at least glancing at each classmate. In short, she gave me good grades because I steadily improved at delivering speeches.
A bunch of boys in the class — with the entitlement and confidence of mediocre white boys — claimed the instructor was practicing favoritism by giving this shy girl As. They…