How would you handle a situation which someone made a derogatory remark towards you?

Answer 1

The best way to handle insults is to ignore them. People who make that sort of remarks are usually insecure and afraid, and they feel more powerful when they can make someone else feel just as bad as they do on the inside. If you show you're not bothered by their nasty comments, they will give up trying to make you mad and go find someone else to pick on. You can either turn and walk off, or make some sort of humorous comment that shows you're not bothered. For example, if someone says you're fat or ugly, you could zing back with "Thanks for paying so much attention to me!"

If the person continues to bully you, you have a few options. If you're both kids, your best bet is to find a sympathetic adult who can make sure that person stays away from you. If you're older, or adults, you could confront the bully and state firmly "Saying hurtful things to someone isn't something that mature people do. I'd appreciate it if you could act more grown-up and just leave me alone if you don't like me."

That works if the person is halfway mature. Unfortunately, many bullies are not mature at all, and they'll keep pestering you until you force them to stop. If you're in school, you'll probably have to make a formal complaint and go to the principal (or the police if it's severe enough). If you're working with the bully, you might have to go to your supervisor or to Human Resources (or to the police). Some bullies just don't respond to anything except force.

Resist the temptation to try to insult them back - it's immature, and it's exactly what they want you to do. Also don't try to get into a physical fight with them because then you'll be in as much trouble as they will.