'Alone and ashamed': Allison Lang recalls journey to loving prosthetic leg
The influencer said she was 'severely bullied for having one leg,' from an early age.
Allison Lang is inspiring her fans to embrace their individuality.
On Thursday, the Canadian amputee shared an Instagram Reel fearlessly showcasing her prosthetic leg while posing in a stunning blue lace underwear set. Alongside the video, Lang included a note detailing her nearly lifelong journey to confidence.
In the on-screen text, the self-love advocate shared she was asked why she shows off her prosthetic leg "so much" on social media, to which she replied with lyrics from Selena Gomez's "My Mind & Me."
"If somebody sees me like this then they won't feel alone," the lyrics read.
In the caption, Lang explained from an early age, she was "severely bullied for having one leg."
"I was the only one at my school with a visible disability, so I felt alone and ashamed," she shared. Lang revealed she was called "awful names like Pegleg and Barbie," which resulted in her having to change schools.
By junior high, Lang decided to avoid bullying, she would hide her leg.
"I never wore shorts even in the hot summer months. When my classmates asked why I was limping I would make up countless excuses," she wrote.
However, in high school, the bullying resumed when "the boys' football team" began circulating rumours about how Lang had lost her leg. "I remember crying in fear that no boys would like me," she shared, adding that she would only pose for photos "from the side, so my real leg hid my prosthetic. I referred to it as 'my good side.'"
Lang slowly began to "wear dresses and capri pants," in university. "I was in small classes, so it was less intimidating. However, I still obsessed over how real my leg looked," she said.
It wasn’t until my mid-20s that I decided to take my life back.Allison Lang
Now, she lives "for myself rather than others," Lang penned.
"I like my prosthetic," she concluded.
In the comments, fans applauded the Montréal-based influencer for overcoming a "difficult insecurity."
"I imagine that this was a really difficult insecurity to overcome, and you should be so proud of yourself. Thank you for sharing this! Visibility is key," an Instagram user wrote.
"You are so beautiful, strong and brave," someone chimed in.
"You’re my inspiration," a fan commented.
In April, Lang shared another Instagram post hitting back at a commenter who criticized her for sharing too many photos in just her underwear.
"Spend more time in your underwear. I promise it’ll help boost your confidence," she responded.
Lang admitted in the past, having a prosthetic leg stopped her from attending "friends' birthday parties because I didn’t want to be seen in a bathing suit, or even a pair of shorts on a hot day because then they’d see my leg."
She explained taking photos in her underwear has made her "way more comfortable" in her own skin.
"I just became so used to seeing my body in its raw form that I was unfazed wearing dresses, shorts, and swimsuits outside of my home," she recalled.
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