Former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin Urges Fans to Refrain from 'Criticism' on Social Media

Helen Murphy
Former Bachelorette Becca Kufrin Urges Fans to Refrain from 'Criticism' on Social Media

Becca Kufrin is getting candid about the downsides of social media.

On Wednesday, the former Bachelorette posted a makeup-free selfie to Instagram with her dog, Minno, and opened up in a lengthy caption about her struggles with living life in the “public eye.” Kufrin’s post was in support of the #AsSheIs campaign, which encourages women to post unfiltered, honest photos to the social media platform.

“You don’t need me to remind you, but life can be rocky,” Kufrin, 29, began. “People can be harsh. In our current climate, the internet can oftentimes be the biggest weapon against our soul. Social media has taken over and will only keep growing.”

“Because of that, so will our insecurities, jealousies and hurdles we face as women. And it’s the unfortunate truth that social media is linked to a significant increase in anxiety, depression, suicide and body image issues,” she continued.

The reality star added: “For two years I’ve been thrust into the public eye on a scale that I never imagined possible. Yes, this was my doing by entering reality TV, but nothing could prepare me for the amount of constant commentary and opinions being thrown at me.”

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#AsSheIs. You don’t need me to remind you, but life can be rocky. People can be harsh. In our current climate, the internet can often times be the biggest weapon against our soul. Social media has taken over and will only keep growing. Because of that, so will our insecurities, jealousies and hurdles we face as women. And it’s the unfortunate truth that social media is linked to a significant increase in anxiety, depression, suicide and body image issues. For two years I’ve been thrust into the public eye on a scale that I never imagined possible. Yes, this was my doing by entering reality TV, but nothing could prepare me for the amount of constant commentary and opinions being thrown at me. This feedback not only includes criticism on my love life, but on how I look, speak, dress, and apply (or don’t apply) my makeup. And, at times it's downright hindering. I’ve had days where I didn’t want to leave bed because of the anxiety I felt on a social scale. And I’m not alone. I’ve had countless conversations with others who have felt inadequate because of someone with mean, type-happy fingers. Many of us feel like we are drowning because we have to live up to some unattainable social goal. Let’s change this. Let’s all take a step back and maybe NOT type a rude comment, or hit “send” with demeaning words into someone’s DMs. Who are we to judge another person by the makeup she puts on, how white our teeth are, or if we forgot to wash our hair for six days straight? As women, we need to do a better job of building ALL humans up, of using our voices to support one another no matter our education level, ethnicity, background, etc. Let’s focus on the positives of individuals and spread care, because if not, the pressures of being perfect, and anxieties when we aren’t, will only consume us. A gentle reminder that Instagram is not reality. It does not define who we are to our core. It can only give a MINOR glimpse into our daily lives. But what is said through social media can leave a lasting impact. So spread a little kindness, tell a stranger how contagious her smile is in a recent photo, double tap a compliment, and remember to go easy on others and yourself.

A post shared by Becca Kufrin (@bkoof) on Nov 6, 2019 at 4:17pm PST

 

“This feedback not only includes criticism on my love life, but on how I look, speak, dress, and apply (or don’t apply) my makeup,” Kufrin wrote. “And, at times it’s downright hindering. I’ve had days where I didn’t want to leave bed because of the anxiety I felt on a social scale.”

The Bachelor alum then explained that she had talked to other people who agreed with her and have felt “inadequate” because of negative social media comments.

“Many of us feel like we are drowning because we have to live up to some unattainable social goal,” she wrote.

RELATED: Becca Kufrin Shuts Down Questions About Garrett Yrigoyen After He Skips Bachelor in Paradise Wedding

Garrett Yrigoyen and Becca Kufrin | Becca Kufrin/Instagram
Garrett Yrigoyen and Becca Kufrin | Becca Kufrin/Instagram

Kufrin then urged her followers to act with kindness on social media and refrain from posting negative comments.

“Let’s all take a step back and maybe NOT type a rude comment, or hit ‘send’ with demeaning words into someone’s DMs. Who are we to judge another person by the makeup she puts on, how white our teeth are, or if we forgot to wash our hair for six days straight?” she wrote. “As women, we need to do a better job of building ALL humans up, of using our voices to support one another no matter our education level, ethnicity, background, etc.”

The former Bachelorette concluded her post by saying: “A gentle reminder that Instagram is not reality. It does not define who we are to our core … But what is said through social media can leave a lasting impact. So spread a little kindness, tell a stranger how contagious her smile is in a recent photo, double tap a compliment, and remember to go easy on others and yourself.”

Becca Kufrin and Garrett Yrigoyen | Becca Kufrin/Instagram
Becca Kufrin and Garrett Yrigoyen | Becca Kufrin/Instagram

 

In August, Kufrin shared a screenshot of a critical direct message she had received on Instagram after her fiancé Garrett Yrigoyen didn’t accompany her to fellow Bachelor alums Chris Randone and Krystal Nielson’s wedding over the summer.

“He don’t really like you or he would be with you,” the follower wrote. “I’m married 36 years and we do it as a team. You need to find a man that stays by your side with special events. You look lonely. Good luck.”

“Don’t be such a Sharon, Sharon,” Kufrin cheekily responded to the user, referring to the woman’s Instagram handle.

RELATED: Bachelorette Becca Kufrin Opens Up About Living with Garrett Yrigoyen: ‘It’s Been a Change!’

“So many people have been DMing me about why Garrett wasn’t with me at the wedding. Blah, blah, blah,” she added in a series of videos on her Instagram Story. “It’s actually kind of annoying me because we still are individuals and we still sometimes like to do our own thing.”

“It’s okay to do your own thing in a relationship sometimes,” she added. “Sorry, guys. You know we can’t do everything together, as much as I want to.”