Within minutes, the likes and comments began.
I didn’t want to update my profile picture and I certainly wasn’t a cross-dresser…
but my sister blackmailed me into doing it.
The alternative would have been worse and there’s no way I’m going to say what that was.
Initially, the reactions were ‘likes’ and ‘loves’ but it didn’t take long for the laughing smilies,
the wows and angry faces to start appearing,
along with some derogatory and downright abusive comments.
“Please let me change it back Laura!” I pleaded.
“I’ve got people saying they’re going to do stuff I do not wish to do.”
“No… the deal was a month.” my sister stubbornly reminded me.
“You can report the abusive comments to FaceBank and they’ll be removed…
but your profile picture stays.” she replied. I hung my head.
“Don’t worry… your secret’s safe with me… providing you pay the price.”
“It’s only been twenty minutes… a whole month of these sorts of comments is going to be a nightmare!”
“Most of them are nice… and you must admit you do look cute.” she grinned.
“Anyway it’ll die down after a few days, you know how fickle FaceBank is.”
“But everyone’s going to see it… mum, dad, gran, uncles, aunties, cousins.” I listed.
“Friends, neighbors… everyone.” my sister proudly added.
“What are you going to tell them?” she wondered aloud.
“I very much doubt you’ll tell the truth…
and if you tell anyone that it’s got anything to do with me, the deal’s off, remember!”
My sister was right about FaceBank…
the abusive and threatening comments were quickly removed,
However, reading and reporting them felt like a full-time job for the first few days and after that.
the trolls eventually got bored and comments on my new profile picture did soon cease,
but I found myself having to explain it to all and sundry.
Fortunately, everyone seemed to believe my story,
that being that I just thought it would be funny if I was dressed as a girl in my FaceBank picture.
Most people did think it was funny but then again,
they also thought I was a cross-dresser and a lot of kids at school started calling me a fag and tranny and a freak.