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Quaden Bayles Bullying Video
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Overview
Quaden Bayles Bullying Video refers to a viral video of Quaden Bayles, a 9-year-old with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, threatening to commit suicide as his mother explains Quaden's experiences with bullying at school. The video inspired a campaign to support Quaden, educate people about the effects of bullying.
Background
On February 18th, 2020, Yarraka Bayles posted the video of her son Quaden crying and threatening to commit suicide due to bullying.[1] She said, "Can you please educate your children, your families, your friends. This is the impact bullying has on a nine-year-old kid that just wants to go to school, get an education and have fun."
The post received more than 21 million views, 394,000 reactions and 344,000 shares in less than one week (the video has since been deleted, shown below is a YouTube re-upload).
Developments
Online Reaction
Following the release of the video, #QuadenBayles became a global trending hashtag on Twitter.[6] Twitter later published an Events page on the response to the campaign.[7]
GoFundMe Campaign
The following day, comedian Brad Williams, who also has dwafism, tweeted, [2] "This makes me sick. I’ve been trying to get in touch with this family. If any of my Australian fans know this family. Please tell this wonderful boy that he has me and an army of friends all over the world that support him." The tweet received more than 13,000 likes and 2,100 retweets in less than two days (shown below, left).
Williams followed the post by writing that he had spoken with Yarraka and had started a GoFundMe campaign to send Quaden and his mother to Disneyland. "Let’s show a bullied kid that he is loved!" he wrote. The tweet[3] received more than 20,000 likes and 6,500 retweets in less than two days (shown below, right).
Within one week of the fundraiser's launch, the campaign on GoFundMe[4] raised more than $255,000 of its $10,000 goal.
Celebrity Reactions
In the days following the release of the video, some celebrities released video responses to Quaden's story. Hugh Jackman posted a video, for example, on February 20th, receiving more than 40,000 likes and 7,500 retweets in less than 24 hours (shown below).
Quaden – you’ve got a friend in me. #BeKind @LokelaniHiga https://t.co/8dr3j2z8Sy pic.twitter.com/jyqtZYC953
— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) February 20, 2020
Vincent D'Onofrio tweeted,[5] "Hey there son, Much love to you&your family. Stay strong. You're an example to all, every one of us out in the world. You live this life you have. You can can live it strong&happy. Myself&my children have gained strength from u.
U are so powerful to me. YOU ARE A GIANT AMONG MEN." His tweet received more than 10,000 likes and 1,100 retweets in less than 24 hours (shown below).
That day, Chatri Sityodtong, the CEO of ONE Championship, posted a message on Twitter, offering Quaden MMA lessons. The post received more than 98,000 views, 2,800 likes and 415 retweets in less than 24 hours (shown below).
Chatri Sityodtong has a special message for Quaden Bayles 🙏❤💪 @yodchatri #WeStandwithQuaden #WeAreONE pic.twitter.com/Ex4bbYG3qk
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) February 21, 2020
Media Coverage
Several media outlets covered the campaign, including The Washington Post,[8] News.Com.Au,[9] HuffPost,[10] eBaum's World [11] and more.
Quaden Age Conspiracy Theory
On February 21st, 2020, Twitter[12] @shanohni shared a Facebook post by a person named "Jasmein Dowe," who accused Quaden of being 18. They wrote, "Just so you know…he scammed everybody..he's 18..has plent of money and year everyone fell for it." They included photographs from the @quadosss Instagram as proof of his 18-year-old age, though the rumor has yet to be verified or substantiated (shown below, left).
However, despite the claims, photographs of Quaden at 15 months old, which were posted on March 4th, 2012 (shown below, center).[13]
Some criticized the conspiracy theory. Twitter[14] user @mile12hurts tweeted, "Let me sum up this #QuadenBayles situation: 9 y/o Quaden gets bullied. Social Media rallies to his rescue. Social Media believes he's faking and that he's 18 Social Media bullies Quaden Social Media finds out he's really 9." The tweet received more than 5,400 likes and 1,300 retweets in less than 24 hours (shown below, right).
Search Interest
Not available.
External References
[1] Facebook – yarraka's Post
[2] Twitter – @funnybrad's Tweet
[3] Twitter – @funnybrad's Tweet
[4] GoFundMe – Let’s send a wonderful kid to Disneyland!
[5] Twitter – @vincentdonofrio's Tweet
[6] Twitter – #23QuadenBayles
[7] Twitter – People around the world rally behind young Australian bullying victim Quaden Bayles
[8] Washington Post – A wrenching video showed a bullied 9-year-old’s pain. Thousands rallied to send him to Disneyland.
[9] News.com.au – Mum’s heartbreaking message to parents of children who bullying her son
[10] HuffPost – Mum Shares Heartbreaking Video Of 9-Year-Old Son Traumatised By Bullying: ‘If I Don't Stand Up And Speak Out For Him, Who Will?’
[11] eBaum's World – Internet Rallies Around 9-Year-Old Bullying Victim After Mom Shares Video of Him Saying He Wants to Die
[12] Twitter – @shanohni's Tweet
[13] Facebook – Quaden Baby pictures
[14] Twitter – @mile12hurts' Tweet
Top Comments
SwirlMob
Feb 21, 2020 at 12:31PM EST
Kekus Trismegistus
Feb 21, 2020 at 01:48PM EST