Teen conquers her biggest fear with radiant bathing suit Twitter post

"You shouldn’t have to change yourself to make others feel comfortable around you."

A British teen took on one of her biggest fears with a single tweet and her response to her haters has been inspiring.

13-year-old Paris Harvey suffers from a metabolic condition that makes her put on weight quickly. She also has hip dysplasia, which -- when combined with her condition -- makes losing weight difficult. The teen has struggled with body confidence due to her weight.

"I got bullied in the past and after a while, you start to believe what people say," she said in the Huffington Post. "I became really insecure about how I looked."

While on a trip to the beach last weekend, Paris decided she would confront her insecurities head on. She bared her body in an adorable patterned pink bathing suit and posted the pictures to her Twitter account.

The post went viral, garnering more than 335,000 likes and over 46,000 retweets.

Paris' bathing suit photos were met with both positive and negative feedback, but the teen has chosen to ignore the haters.

"There were some bad comments and I read them at first, but then I thought, ‘Why am I wasting my time on those?’ I chose to focus on the support because hate is nothing compared to love."

And the love from Twitter was overwhelming.

The experience and the teen's positive attitude has given Paris wisdom beyond her years.

“I feel like we should embrace who we are. You shouldn’t have to change yourself to make others feel comfortable around you. Focus on yourself."

That wisdom has rubbed off on her father, too.

"I am very proud of my daughter. Paris has been through a lot but she is just a normal girl and she carries on with it," Bill Harvey, 38, said to Kent Online.

"I'm self conscious about things but I look at what she has done and it shows me that I shouldn't be. She is an inspiration." 

Mashable has reached out to Paris and will update the story if we hear back.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Bumble failed to protect user data in ShinyHunters hack, class action suit claims
thumb tapping bumble logo on smartphone

Study: Teen girls are using AI to create sexual imagery
Teen girl takes selfie in front of a bathroom mirror.

Everything we know about Apple TV's 'Cape Fear' remake
Amy Adams in "Cape Fear."

30+ trendy gifts for teen girls in 2026, according to teenage girls IRL and online
gift ideas

Lyft launches Lyft Teen for riders 13-17 years old
Two phone screens, one shows the Lyft app's map, the other displays the PIN verification screen.

More in Life
How to watch Chelsea vs. Port Vale online for free
Alejandro Garnacho of Chelsea reacts

How to watch 'Wuthering Heights' at home: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi's controversial romance now streaming
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi embracing in still from "Wuthering Heights"

How to watch New York Islanders vs. Philadelphia Flyers online for free
Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders warms up

How to watch Mexico vs. Belgium online for free
Israel Reyes of Mexico reacts

How to watch Brazil vs. Croatia online for free
Vinicius Junior #10 of Brazil leaves

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

Google launches Gemma 4, a new open-source model: How to try it
Google Gemma
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!