When a high school student took to TikTok to share why she wasn’t sure about attending her school’s homecoming dance, she wasn’t expecting to receive such a positive response. The high school senior, whose name is Kaylee, revealed that she wasn’t so sure about taking part in the quintessential high school ritual because of all the bullying she experienced throughout high school.
“So homecoming season is upon us, which means everyone’s doing the cute photoshoots and the group dinners and blah, blah, blah, and then there’s me, with no friends, recycling a homecoming dress that I’ve been wearing since ninth grade,” she said in her original video about homecoming, which has now garnered over two million views.
In her video, she explained that she attended homecoming during her freshman year because a class she was taking required her to go. “I set up, I went, got bullied the whole time, almost got locked out of the school, and then left,” she revealed.
In the vulnerable video, she explained that she wanted to try on her homecoming dress for her TikTok followers because they are “like [her] friend group at this point.” She proceeded to show off the dress but admitted that her cheer team “made fun” of her for wearing it. “I think it’s kind of nice,” she said. “My mom and I found it at David’s Bridal and it took a long time because I am so short and small.”
@gluten.free.runne Homecoming? More like me, myself, and I sitting in the corner #glutenfreerunner #homecoming #hocodress #highschool #nofriends ♬ original sound – Gluten Free Runner
The dress is adorned with a big bow, which is the reason people made fun of her. Kaylee received a ton of support from people on social media after sharing the simple yet very vulnerable video.
“Sweet girl, the problem is them, NOT YOU,” one of her followers commented. Several people also offered to send her homecoming dresses she could wear to the event.
Kaylee told People that one woman named Kaiti reached out to her and shared a video showcasing different dress options. “I then messaged her and I took her up on a few of the dresses, and then she slipped in some extra ones, and we’ve been talking ever since, and it’s been really nice,” the teen told the magazine.
In a follow-up video, Kaylee admitted that she “never, ever in a million years” expected the video to go viral. “My phone has just been blowing up ever since I made that video … Everyone has been so nice,” she said, adding that “it means a lot” because of the bullying she’s experienced at school.
@gluten.free.runne I never thought strangers online would be kinder to me than people at school. Now I have hundreds of thousands of friends and it crazy! Thank you all so much. Special thanks to @kaiti♡ for being an absolute angel 👗 ✨ #glutenfreerunner #grateful #homecoming #highschool #spreadkindness ♬ original sound – Gluten Free Runner
“For so many people to make me feel so supported and just there, it means a lot,” Kaylee continued.
Some celebrities, such as Bella Hadid, Alix Earle, and Paige DeSorbo, also have reached out to the teen to encourage her. “You are sooo beautiful and kind and special !!!” Bella commented on the follow-up video. “Anyone would be lucky to be your friend and now you have All of us!! Yay!!! And I love that dress btw!! It matches your eyes sooo beautiful.”
@gluten.free.runne I want to take my story and turn it into something bigger — I want to start my own nonprofit to help people deal with bullying and remind them they’re not alone. 💛 bullying sucks, but it’s not all that you are #glutenfreerunner #hocodress #bullying #spreadkindness #viral ♬ original sound – Gluten Free Runner
After People published an article about Kaylee, she shared another video about how she hopes that her homecoming story can evolve into something more. She explained, “It turned into something way bigger, and I want to keep it something bigger because I’ve been able to help so many people and connect with so many people that are in the same boat as me, with being alone and isolated and made fun of.”
Sharing her story was admittedly hard for her because of how “vulnerable” it was, but now, Kaylee’s glad she shared it. “Bullying has been a big part of my high school career, but it’s not all that I am,” she said. “And I want other people to know that it’s not all that you are either.”
