Jennifer Livingston is a news anchor for WKBT-TV in Wisconsin. And she is awesome.
Earlier this year Jennifer received a letter from a viewer who took issue with the fact that Ms Livingston is overweight.
“Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain,” the letter said. “I leave you this note hoping that you’ll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.”
Helpful. Yup. Thanks for that.
Now there are a myriad of ways Jennifer could have responded to that email. She could have taken to her bedroom and cried, she could have laughed it off publicly and kept how hurt she was to herself… but instead Jennifer chose to be: awesome.
Take a look:
If you can’t view the video then here was our favourite part of what Jennifer said:
“The truth is I am overweight. “You can call me fat and yes, even obese on a doctor’s chart. To the person who wrote me that letter, do you think I don’t know that? Your cruel words are pointing out something I don’t see?”
“You don’t know me. You are not a friend of mine. You are not a part of my family, and you admitted that you don’t watch this show so you know nothing about me besides what you see on the outside — and I am much more than a number on a scale.”
Exactly. All of us. Each and every single one of us is so much more than a number on a scale.
Wise words from a wise woman. And a responsible public personality if we’ve ever seen one.
Do you think women on television are subjected to too much scrutiny about how they look? Do women face more scrutiny than men?
Comments
104 Comments so far
baby i thing you are a beautiful women
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Youa are so beautiful. Inside and out. Thank you for being you.
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Elle MacPherson – you’re dropped. Jennifer Livingston – you are my new lady crush.
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that was absolutely amazing, she kept her cool and said something i will never forget, “the words of one are nothing compared the the shouts of many”
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There’s the assumption (as mentioned in that offending email to Jennifer Livingston) that Obesity is “one of the worst CHOICES a person can make” and “one of the most dangerous habits a person can maintain” – which says it all about that blokes’ attitude and ignorance ……..
NOBODY wants to be FAT and people who are don’t need to be reminded of it – they LIVE it every painful day of their life, every painful step they take.
In many cases, the pain they experience just exacerbates the problem by slowing them up or virtually stopping them altogether – and, as I said before, some obesity is caused by several factors.
Another thing that’s often overlooked is temperature – the more heat & humidity there is, the more excruciating and uncomfortable life becomes……throw in headaches or migraines, menopause, sleeplessness, stress and the obvious stuff that women experience and you’ve got factors that contribute to a vicious circle of health and weight ailments.
If you abuse your good fortune of good health by overeating, deliberately being a “couch potato”, eating too many refined carbs, drinking sugary drinks or alcohol – it’s a no brainer that you’ll bung on the weight but, presuming you’re otherwise healthy – it’s an easy fix.
Much of the genuine cases of OBESITY are not created by choice…….these people are trapped and are not “maintaining a habit” as that jerk chose to put it………….
‘Sorry…………I keep thinking of stuff.
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Caz the cases of obesity you refer to make up around 0.001% of all those obese. I’m sorry but if you think you for one second thats its ok for those with a medical condition to be obese then you have got another thing coming.
If you have an ailment people generally go to the Doctor to sort it out, so if these people really do have a condition why is this so different. Being fat is more common then being fit in some countries so i don’t accept embarrassment as a reason.
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If she was too skinny and someone commented on that there wouldnt be the same backlash. But, she is a bigger lady, and someone commented about her weight, so everyone is offended.
Being Under or overweight both brings with it severe health risks, but for some reason we are only offended when people comment on someone who is overweight??
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Yes, because it is seen as a personality flaw. Fat, slob, glutton, lazy, gross. All words designed to insult and make the recipient feel worse than they (usually) already do. Being thin is seen as the ideal. Over $750 million dollars were spent on weight loss products in the last financial year alone. When someone is thin we don’t know if they are naturally thin or are deliberately doing something to stay that way, either way they aren’t AS MUCH as an easy target as a fatty!
My policy for thin or fat is to not comment. The person will broach the subject if they want to and I don’t want to draw attention to it.
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People can be just as cruel when it comes to insulting a skinny persons figure “disgusting, bag of bones, anorexic, needs a hamburger” are just as offensive as the fat insults.
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I think they are showing this example because it happened and they found it impressive. Noone said skinny people don’t also get bullied or that it was okay to bully skinny people. If you were reading an article about Japanese whaling, it would be illogical to say “hey, that’s not fair! Pandas also get hunted!” We KNOW pandas get hunted, but they can’t tell EVERY story in EVERY article to avoid upsetting someone who wasn’t represented.
How about next time you see a skinny person make an impressive statement against being bullied you submit it to the mamamia team? I’m sure they’d be happy to publish that also.
Seriously your argument has no relevance to this video.
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I knew I liked Ron Livingston, here is his defence of his sister! http://popwatch.ew.com/2012/10/03/go-big-brother-ron-livingston-defends-his-bullied-tv-anchor-sister/
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YES to both questions of course……….
It’s interesting how Headaches and Obesity can have similar causes – these conditions can be self-inflicted or can have compelling underlying causes.
Those “skinny experts’” I find so irritating have no consideration for people who become obese through illness, pain, lack of mobility, hormonal changes, medication etc……….Obesity has presented us with people to patronise, to discriminate against, to caricature, to ridicule, to righteously admonish, to pillory, to supply us with an element of “schadenfreude” (malicious joy at the suffering of others) and on it goes……..”fatties” have been considered a soft target but thankfully the moron who attacked Jennifer Livingston got a well-placed kick in the arse.
Australian TV (and Radio) has a few female role-models but it’s still an extremely sexist, ageist industry and has a LONG way to go to put things right – to be an accurate mirror of our complex society.
When it comes to News readers there’s still what I call the “Nancy Reagan costume” – the bland suit and careful “Nanna hair”………….but I suppose a drastic change might present a distraction when all people really want are the plain facts.
We still haven’t seen a female newsreader in her late 60′s (that I’m aware of…lol) and of course an obviously obese one is at least a decade away here in the land of “Barbie & Ken do the 6pm News”.
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Dont agree with the “ken and Barbie do the news” comment. Here in Adelaide our no 1 news team is a male and female both in their mid to late 50s (channel 7), and for many many years the male news readers on channel 9 (And I’m talking 30 years until one newsreader unfortunately passed away and the other semi retired) they were in their mid 60s in the highest rating period. Abc tv newsreaders are not always ken and barbie either.
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I’m confused as to whether this is bullying. If a health professional (doctor, nurse etc.) made a comment about weight the non-abusive manner that the email did, would they be bullying? Yes their comment would hurt a little but they are concerned about health, just as the email was..
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I think the woman did a great job to keep her composure on air while responding to the email she received. It must have been difficult for her to do. While I think the email was unnecessary it does not fall into the category of bullying. He was not rude, he has not sent numerous emails (that we are aware of) and so while unpleasant it is wrong to label his actions as bullying.
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I doubt very much if that man would have sent such a rude email to an overweight male TV personality. Women are still judged by appearances. So she was totally in the right to stand up to him!!
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I just love the way she stood up and respected herself. Good on her. She is contributing and adding value to society .
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I grew up as an overweight kid and teenager; I used to get abusive comments hurled at me from complete strangers in the street or from passing cars.
It was the fact that these people WERE complete strangers that used to be the most upsetting, because, to quote Jennifer, “You don’t know me. You are not a friend of mine. You are not a part of my family”.
I equate this with the email she received…at the end of the day, if a stranger expresses an opinion about your appearance, it is NONE OF THEIR F&*KING BUSINESS.
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‘m truly sorry that you were subjected to that kind of public harassment. No-one deserves that. At least the presenter had a choice about her email going public – you weren’t given that right to choose. I appreciated the presenter addressing the fact that parents teach children about ways to treat others – bitchy, cruel parents usually raise bitchy, cruel children and so the cycle goes. Totally agree – its no-one’s business but your own.
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To the man who wrote the email: So….a television presenter and reporter is a role model for your children and community? And the worst thing about her is she’s fat? REALLY?! You don’t think the many people artificially sculpted by a surgeons knife who constantly appear on our television screens are bad role models? What about those people who make up the majority of tv land and promote the idea that it’s what’s on the outside that counts? Of course not…because they’re not fat. I’m sure this woman is well educated and great at her job – that’s something I admire. Maybe you need to be a better role model for your community, instead of being rude to a woman just doing her job? Obviously everyone should endeavor to have good health but I hardly think people are going to watch her show and think they’d like to be overweight or obese. Perhaps however it may prompt them to study media or inspire them to be more confident and secure about their own bodies… just a thought.
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High Five!!
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You have hit the nail on the head!
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Just watched the video and I have to say I think her reaction is a bit OTT.
The letter, whilst not pleasant to read about oneself, is not saying anything that isn’t true and it isn’t abusive or an attack as she suggests. To me it falls under the same umbrella as someone writing in to say how hot someone looks and where did you get that dress. No-one is concerned when feedback is positive or idolatry. The letter writer’s concerns are health based not appearance based (admittedly he is using her appearance to base his health concerns on) . He didn’t bombard her with multiple emails or make attacks about her weight on her facebook page.
I’m sorry but I can’t see how this is bullying. I agree he has no right to lecture her about her weight, but I think he does have a right to an opinion on a topic that is at the top of public health concerns world wide.
Would it be considered unacceptable if she had a public profile that showed her a heavy drinker and smoker and someone wrote in to complain that she was a bad role model?
It is common to read stories about footballers and athletes “behaving badly” and being bad role models for the community, generally in relation to drug-taking, heavy drinking or reckless sexual behaviour. How is obesity different? It’s a major health issue.
The author of the letter didn’t call her a fat cow or start a facebook page about her and her weight inviting others to join in.
I have just checked out her facebook and twitter and she is loving this whole thing. Great for her career. She’s made it onto Ellen! 15 mins of fame indeed.
I have also tried to find where he calls her fat or where he taunts her. The MM headline “news anchor takes down a man who calls her fat” and the page link ” news anchor responds to fat taunt” are misleading at best.
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Are you serious Teacup? Are you comparing her being big to footballers/Athletes getting drunk and groping women, destroying property such as hotel rooms, and my personal favourite – gang bangs with young easily swayed girls?
Really, you think this is comparable.
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Hi Jolie,
If you can show me where I wrote “footballers/Athletes getting drunk and groping women, destroying property such as hotel rooms, and my personal favourite – gang bangs with young easily swayed girls” I’ll answer your question.
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Teacup I think the answer to why its different is simply that her weight is her responsibility, her choice, and harms no one.
People ramsacking hotel rooms harms the hotel, and can harm the experience of other guests.
People smoking can cause health issues for their family and the public due to second hand smoke (although I know of many who do as much as they can to minimise that risk).
Alternatively, people who are overweight affect no one negatively, except themselves. Shes not saying ‘eat ALL The food!’ to her viewers. She doesnt proclaim it as a lifestyle to aspire to.
The bottom line is that she is entitled to carry her own body, in a way that she sees fit. It is perfectly lovely that she is ok with that – if only because there are many people half of her size have twice the body hangups she does. her size/weight should not be up for public discussion.
She is a professional, and in all aspects she acts the part, that should be all the public cares about.
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Her appearance is up for public discussion because she is a TV presenter, and people watch her. The reality of this is that part of the package is how she looks. If she was a radio presenter then your point would be valid.
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Thats a moot point. Just because you see it, doesnt mean you have to say anything. Just because the viewer takes issue with her size, doesnt mean he has to send her a letter about it. Does the viewer genuinely believe she is unaware of her size?
It would be different if her size meant she couldnt do her job. If you work front desk/reception in an office, does that give the people who see you the right to tell you your appearance isnt to their liking? Working front desk means you are in ‘public’ for your profession, so does that equal the same right to shame that you think a TV presenter has?
I suppose ultimately I think people need to subscribe to the ‘if you havent got anything nice to say, dont say anything’ routine. Its not hard to change the channel if you dont like what you see, but for the love of humanity, do not take issue with something that does not, and will not ever directly affect you.
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I’m not talking about whether or not people ‘should’ comment on a person’s appearance.
I said that appearance matters if you work in TV, because so many people are watching, and as a consequence there is extra scrutiny.
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Her appearance to the point where she looks professional and serious is up for public discussion.
If the emailer had said “your hair wasn’t brushed and your suit had tears in it” then fair enough – but being fat is not something that should be a hindrance to be on TV.
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But it is a hindrance, as you can clearly see. She is upset because someone commented on her weight.
And it is up for public discussion, as you can again concur.
I’m just pointing out the obvious here.
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The hindrance is noit her weight – it is someone else’s bad manners and/or lack of boundaries.
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And her reaction to it. Does that combination of events not equate to a ‘hindrance’?
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Hi Cait,
I agree with you re it being her choice. I’d also like to make clear that I don’t agree that the emailer should have written that to her in the first place.
I guess the point I was trying to make was (well a couple of points actually) the email isn’t bullying, her response was OTT, and that the emailer was expressing an opinion. (privately..something that isn’t done so often these days).
I’ll also add that his email critique was based on a concern for public health not spite, nastiness or malice.
If a viewer had emailed in and said I don’t like that colour on you, or that hairstyle really does nothing for you (which I’m sure does happen) I doubt she would have taken to Facebook and twitter and called it bullying, and yet comments like that are purely on appearance.
I think it is an interesting discussion to be had about whether public figures should be held up as role models and also whether obesity can be discussed in relation to it.
All of this discussion leads me to wonder is it bullying when women’s magazines the world over publish photos of obese celebrities and hold them up for ridicule? (off the top of my head- Kirsty Alley, Nigella Lawson at the beach, paunches on male celebs.
If not, why not? Is it bullying to buy those magazines because of the picture on the cover therefore increasing sales and increasing demand for this sort of thing?
A can of worms if ever I saw one……
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I agree. She has her point, but so does the person who wrote the email. Being obese is a lifestyle decision.
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Being Obese isn’t always a lifestyle choice. Granted a lot of the time it is, but it isn’t always. Shouldn’t we be promoting healthy eating and lifestyle, not weight based factors and claiming weight to be a choice we make? I’d be interested in what your eating and exercising habits are? Myself – who tips in in the morbidly obese category based on BMI – eats a doctor monitored low-calorie diet (and no I don’t cheat), does 6 hours of dancing classes, 3 hours of zumba classes, 4 hours of walking, 2 hours of horse riding EVERY WEEK, add to that mainting an acreage property by myself using a push mower (no ride-on here), loads of gardens and a large house. I’ve been doing this routine for more than 3 years….no weight loss. And even gaining the weight int he first place wasn’t because I ate badly or didn’t exercise, I’ve always been extremely active. Sometimes there are more things at play than choice, but I’ve come to learn that for people who have normally functioning bodies this is difficult to understand. For them it’s a matter of calories in v’s calories out, but unfortunately it doesn’t work that way for everybody, even if you don’t believe that. Being obese certainly isn’t a CHOICE for everyone.
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Oh rubbish. It is not always. That’s like saying that someone who is naturally very skinny is anorexic.
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Being overweight is not a lifestyle choice. The ignorance of some people amazes me!
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The public is increasingly mobile in getting our opinions out there, be they constructive, positive or plain hurtful. I was surprised that an email, was made public in this case, but having said that, she has a right to stick up for herself if she so chooses. Really, what type of person sends an email to someone they don’t know personally and talks about their obesity issues?
The bonuses that came out of this: She’s been a role-model for how others can stand up to people who’ve crossed the boundary of what’s acceptable to someone. And, to those bitchy, backstabbing parents out there who teach their kids how its done, to take some responsibility for their ways.
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Teacup – latest research shows that a person’s fitness is a more important indicator of health than their weight. You can be overweight and even obese and healthier than somene who is a “healthy weight” and does not exercise. Similarly, research has also shown that stress is a bigger contributor to many diseases (ie heart disease, strokes) than diet. My point – no one has the right to judge other people on appearance alone. Everybody has their “difficulties”, it’s just that an obese person carries theirs for everyone to see. If we focused more on healthy lifestyle, rather than “body image” I can guarantee we would have less obese people. Many people are obese because of a cycle of dieting and trying to be slim.
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I’ll try posting again:
Hi Steph,
I don’t doubt any of that. I have never said I agree with what the emailer wrote. I certainly don’t think he should have written the email. But I still don’t think her response is commensurate with the wording or intent of the email.
Sadly we all judge someone for something.
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While I agree that the email was hurtful and totally inappropriate and unnecessary, people need to be careful with how they use the term ‘bullying’. If someone calls you fat once, this is not bullying. Mean, yes. If he was emailing Jennifer constantly about her weight, then it would be considered bullying.
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Yeah, I hear you on this one – not sure its bullying either. If he made it public, it would’ve been, but he sent a private email, which gave the presenter a choice – it could have been dealt with privately. Still, not cool what he did…
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You say, calling someone fat once, is not bullying? Are you serious.
A girl in my class spun my last name and came up with “porker walker” – I heard her say it once. It was not even to my face and that has stuck with me over 10 years later. I was not even classed as overweight.
So do no say that calling someone fat once, does not count as bullying. Because it is just as hurtful the first time, as it is the 10th or the 100th time you hear it.
It does not have to be persistent taunting from one individual to be to be classed as bullying. What is 20 different people said it, on 20 different occasions?
As for the email, it was shallow and did not serve any purpose, other than to critisise someone, about their appearance. I sincerely doubt that he has any actual concern for her well being and she was right in saying he does not know her, or anything about her lifestyle.
Health does not come in one size and shape, and he cannot base her level of health purely on seeing her on TV reading the news.
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Very well spoken, this was a great reply to such a shallow letter. As a curvy woman myself, I am proud of her response …you don know me, your not my friend..words that should haunt the letter writer for life. If he had gotten to know her or watch or show more often he would have seen the beautiful person that is inside not what he wants to judge outside. Maybe he needs to look in the mirror at himself or as my mother told me growing up “sweep around your own house and never pass judgement on the neighbors broom” I commend Jenifer’s response!!
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freaking brilliant. more women like her please
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Whether or not it’s bullying, it’s just rude and unnecessary. It’s like going up to someone on the street and saying “you know, you have a huge hook nose. You would look so much prettier if you got a nose job. You should really consider it”. The person is probably well aware of the issue and it’s not a strangers place to bring it up.
As for people calling her a bully back – I think that’s a bit much. If someone is being a dickhead, surely you can call them on it without being a “bully” and “as bad as them”?
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I’m overweight and I loved this woman’s response except I think her labeling the letter as bullying sort of dumbs down the issue. I really think the most important message was that we are all more than a number on a scale and commenting on someone’s weight or physical appearance like that is dehumanising, disrespectful, and very hurtful.
I’m bewildered and a little amused about how obtuse people like this guy can be. Life is hard and there is always a reason someone is overweight. I’m overweight because I get extremely anxious and overeat. I’m doing Weight Watchers but it’s hard and I sometimes struggle. When people like this guy talk about controlling weight as though it’s so so easy, they just come across as naive.
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Bottom line – there was just no need for him to write ANYTHING!
It is bullying.
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I’ll always remember when a stranger handed me a note a bus telling me that I needed to contact Jenny Craig. After I had just spent half an hour laughing and chatting to my friend. I was hurt by that note as the woman did not know me and thought that she knew something that I didn’t. The choice that I made to lose weight, since that incident a decade ago, was not to give in to the cruel, but ‘concerned’, strangers but that I wanted to live to see Halleys Comet next time round.
People today will always hear me speak up when any size based statement is brought up. Being Fat is not funny, it is simply being fat.
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Sorry Iv that is really terrible.
I will never understand why people think it is ok to say (or write) cruel things like that – which are none of their damn business!
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I’ve had similar experiences. The worst to date was, while walking the 3km home from the bus stop (yup, that’s 6km a day!) this absolutely horrible man leaned out of his van and screamed “You’re fat, you’re really really fat, you’re so fat you should go home and kill yourself”. Delightful. Thankfully I’m now able to see it is far more a reflection on him than it ever was on me, but like you, it stuck with me for a lot of years and caused a lot of pain, tears and self hate.
Being ‘fat’ is just a thing, like being ‘tall’ or being brunette. It would be nice if it could be used as the descriptive word it is rather than as an insult. Children are the best for this. If a child says to me “you’re fat” I agree and then reply with something to describe them like ‘you have blonde hair. Always gets them thinking. Hopefully it sticks with them so they don’t grow up to one day be a horrible person yelling childish insults out of their car window.
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I thought her response was outstanding. I also thought it was great to see a woman on TV who didn’t look as though she’d come straight off the Barbie doll manufacturing line.
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I think the most important point here is what we say in front of our children. We’re all entitled to our opinions and all of us are guilty of being bitchy about the people we see on television and the media, but allowing children to hear that and by extension start to view that as ok leads to their inability to recognise the difference between what is appropriate and what is bullying. Our opinions are simply that; they are not facts or testaments of our intelligence and when they hurt others or encourage others to be hurt, we have lost that entitlement.
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Well said ‘really’ I actually think Rebecca Judd is naturally very slender, that is just her genetic makeup. I agree it is unfair to make comments about people’s weight on either side of the spectrum. Like Jennifer pointed out, people do not know her personally or her story, maybe she has a medical condition? Maybe that person you comment on for being ‘emaciated’ in the street is battling cancer…..something I think we all need to reflect on before judging others.
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I love you Jennifer!!! That was a very powerful speech!!!
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Last week I heard Chrissie Swan on her morning radio show. She was discussing the Brownlow Medal and Rebecca Judd’s appearance, saying things like “she looks like she needs to actually eat something” etc. All hell broke loose when Chrissie’s appearance was discussed, yet she felt it was ok to do the same to Rebecca Judd.
Look what this women said in response to the email is fair enough. As long as the same attitude applies to those with slender figures. Saying someone needs to eat more etc is just as hurtful as saying they are fat.
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If I had to think about it, I do think Rebecca Judd needs to eat more, and that she doesn’t look extremely healthy. I also think Chrissie Swan is overweight. But I also couldn’t care less, and I think the worst part is when we find it neccessary to voice these things for no particular reason, or to even give them a second thought. At the end of the day, it’s these women making these comments that ultimately care about what others think.
Good on Jennifer for standing up to the criticism.
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I think the difference is that being thin is aspirational and being fat is not. No one looks at an obviously fat person and thinks “ahh if only I had enough discipline to eat some chocolate eclairs so I could look like that!!”. In contrast, many, many young girls and women might look at a thin woman like Rebecca Judd and think they should look like her. Cue eating disorders and self loathing.
So we NEED to be able to comment on when a woman is too thin, because we need to be aware that being super thin can be as unhealthy as being overweight (or moreso), and we need to moderate what is considered healthy and aspirational. Fat will never be aspirational, thin is and almost always has been. That’s why there’s a difference, and why it’s okay to comment (privately – NOT to the person!!!) when you think someone is too thin.
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I know where you’re coming from, but that sounds too much like a double standard for me.
You don’t know why that person is possibly ‘too thin’, just like you don’t know why someone is ‘too fat’.
If they’re unhealthy either way, it’s almost certain they already know about it. People shouldn’t make anyone feel uncomfortable or self-conscious about what they look like, no matter what size they are.
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At the moment and in western civilization thin is inspirational. It hasn’t always been this way. Being overweight was (and may still be somewhere) desirable because it showed that you were wealthy enough to be able to eat a lot.
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Completely disagree.
When I was in my early-mid teens, I was very skinny. I tried to eat and eat as much as I could to gain weight, but I really never could. People were constantly telling me how skinny I was, and not in a complimentary way. I was often told my skinny legs are disgusting, and I refused to wear a skirt for a long time. No one ‘aspired’ to look like me, any more than they’d aspire to look like an obese girl.
Please, think about what you’re saying about people’s appearance – whether they’re overweight or underweight.
It is never ok to negatively comment on someones appearance, and to tell them they need to eat less, or eat more.
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I hear what you are saying, but while I think it’s wrong to bitch about someone being thin you simply cannot compare the two because it just isn’t a level playing field. The fact is that being overweight has been seen as undesirable for a long time, while being thin is celebrated. It’s just not the same. This isn’t to excuse nasty comments about thinness, I’m just saying that I think it’s different and insults against fat people and thin people carry a different weight. (pun intended)
Ultimately though, I’m dislike all talk about women’s bodies that ultimately dehumanise them.
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As a slim person and having comments like “you’re too thin” my whole life I don’t hear it as something women I aspire too. I have felt just as unhappy about my body as someone who is overweight.
As many have pointed why make any comment about someone’s weight!
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I feel like bullying and obesity are two significant and separate issues. I’m still struggling to see how the viewer’s email was a blatant bullying attack. Yes, it wasn’t a nice email, but Jennifer could’ve easily used her position as a public figure to promote the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, eating well and exercising in her response to the email. She didn’t mention these things once. Overweight people can still be healthy, but I feel like she’s just ignored this and whacked the “bullying” label on it. Yes, bullying isn’t cool. But neither is being unhealthy.
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While his words may not have been overtly rude or slanderous, I would say it is a form of bullying. People are allowed to debate and have a difference of opinion, but telling someone that their appearance is ‘not ok’ is bullying to me.
I agree, she could have mentioned that some overweight people can still be healthy – but I don’t think that’s really the point nor is her health any business of the public.
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Obesity as an issue is not the point here. The point is bullying. No individual should have to be on the recieving end of an attack, whether their health is an issue or not. No individual should have to justify their lifestyle habits to anyone else, nor does any individual have any right to publically and directly asperse another for any reason. The point IS, that this news readers health is no-one elses business and that man should have shut his mouth.
The news readers weight and health are completely irrelevant.
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I absolutely agree. I’m a fatty boombaladah and I don’t read bullying into that comment. Unnecessary, sure, but not bullying. If that’s the worst she cops as a public figure then she’s blessed.
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Just because it was a well-articulated letter, of sorts, and wasn’t blatantly LOL U FAT COW WATCHUU DOINN ON MY TVV doesn’t mean it wasn’t bullying.
Someone saying to someone else that they are unacceptable and need to change is horrible, and bullying. Is that not the core message of every bully?
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Brilliant but so sad and stupid (meaning the tool who sent her his ‘concerns’) that she had reason to do it. She’s a fantastic role model. If there were more of her and less of the idiots (again referring to the letter writer) in the world, it’d be a much nicer place
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Wow, I am inspired by how she handled that. So calm and articulate.
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And here we have the original emailers response. Thinking that hes done her and the world a favour by sharing his world view of the fat people.
http://www.news8000.com/news/VIDEO-Kenneth-W-Krause-responds/-/326/16832838/-/8kc77oz/-/index.html
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Maybe he’s a personal trainer ? Or maybe just a self-important, opinionated douchebag ?
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For years I have struggled with my weight. People who spend more than a few hours with me say, wow, you really don’t eat that much to which I reply, I know…go figure. Recently I changed medications and in three months I have dropped 9 kilos without even trying. People are now saying, great work, good job etc. People don’t know me, but they judge me all the time and it’s hurtful and wrong to think that overweight (at my worst a size 18 and I’m 163cm) means that I feed my face constantly and eat all the wrong foods.
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“We are better than you”
Isn’t that the same mentality as a bully?
Sure she is saying bullying is bad, but isn’t she doing the same thing?
She has publicly outed somebody and got her husband and her fans to fight her battles. Their words would not have been decent . She thanks them for all their “support”/slander.
Who is the bully here?
The man who was sharing his opinion? Or the lady who provoked the public to hound an individual and says “We’re better than you”?
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We are all entitled to have an opinion. We aren’t entitled to share it, and if we do, there may be repercussions. Who is this man to chastise her for her weight problem, and as she stated, it’s not like she doesn’t know. This man is trying to use someone else’s possible weakness or shortcoming to make himself feel elevated. That is bullying. And she called him out on it.
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I don’t think she mentioned the name of the email’s author, so she didn’t out him. I also think she means she is better than bullying, which isn’t a personal attack on the person.
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Reading your response, I feel my original opinion changing. I wonder how many nasty emails the guy has received as a result of the public outing and the FB campaign.
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She doesn’t mention his name. At all.
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She’s very well spoken, and I congratulate her for addressing a very, very important topic in a powerful and graceful manner.
However, I’m not convinced that the original email she received is completely classifiable as cyber bullying….
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What and she isn’t bullying, by publicly outing a man who did nothing but share his opinion?
She uses her fame to serve justice to him?
Is that really right?
Come on people.
I’m sure her husbands words wouldn’t have been nice either.
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Yes and Yes.
I’d add that ordinary women (and men) now face more public scrutiny on their appearance than ever, Facebook, Instagram, Twitterpics etc. create a catalogue for the public to browse. Like a product.
Unprecedented stuff and in my opinion, pushing people’s insecurities about their appearance to unprecedented heights.
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Obesity is a concern though, yes bullying is bad.
Honestly, obesity is an absolute major health crisis at the moment. She admits to being fat but not once does she say that she is actively trying to reduce this and the risk it entails. Whilst she is not setting an example for being fat as the letter makes out. She is however, not doing anything to stop assumption from being made. She is just sweeping it under the carpet by jumping on the bandwagon of bullying. Bullying and obesity are huge issues. I can guarantee that obesity kills much more.
The letter could have been responded to in private but instead she is trying to out the man for sharing his opinion, when she is doing the exact same.
She is bullying.. She just doesn’t see it.
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Are you the guy that wrote that letter? You sound exactly the same. Everyone seems to think that overweight people don’t realise the implications that the extra weight has on their health. Just because your fat doesn’t mean you’re an idiot. I know I’m overweight and I’m at my heaviest since I had my third child four months ago. I know I need to eat less and exercise more. I know I am setting a bad example for my children.What no one seems to realise is that it’s a mental issue as well as a physical issue. I hate my body and myself for letting it get this bad. From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep I am obsessing over food and the guilt associated with it. The more I eat the worse I feel so I eat more to feel better and the cycle continues. Everyone needs to stop judging and show a little compassion. No one could judge us any harsher than we already judge ourselves.
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There isnt any “obesity crisis” though. Have you heard about the obesity paradox? More and more research is proving that overweight people are better able to survive heart attacks and have less negative outcomes with diabetes than thin people do. Thin people with hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) need medication at higher doses and have more negative outcomes than overweight people do. Work in any hospital and you will find far more people in there who smoke and drink than are fat. And in any case why does Jennifer need to justify her lifestyle choices to total strangers? You wouldnt be asking a thin or male news anchor to justify their lifestyle choices would you?
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That is not exactly true. Sure thin people who have high cholesterol have higher risks then fat people because they most likely have hereditary issues not life style issues. but fat people will have higher risks of all cardiovascular disease then if they kept their weight down. Obesity is a huge health risk and your kidding yourself if you think otherwise.
I know as I am overweight and have hypertension as pa consequence.
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What hospitals have you worked in? Overweight people have other problems that thinner people don’t, as well as the fact that they increase their risks of type 2 diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and heart attacks.
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My point though is that thin isnt automatically healthy anymore than fat is automatically unhealthy. I’ve worked everywhere from Public Health to Emergency and theres a paradigm shift happening in health. New research is starting to show that overweight individuals are having much better health outcomes than thin ones particularly in Acute Coronary Syndromes and Diabetes Mellitus. I’ve definitely seen poorer outcomes for smokers and people with excess alcohol consumption. You would never get someone writing an email and condenming someone for an unhealthy lifestyle if they looked like a smoker would you? So why should it be acceptable to just assume because someone is fat, that they are automatically going to use up all the health resources?
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Im not going to argue with you on the diabetes and coronary disease points, because clearly it is an area you’re knowledgeable in.
There is no denying that obesity is responsible for other health issues, such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke, joint problems and circulation problems and so on.
Unless someone has a ciggie in hand, you can’t tell if they’re a smoker can you? People do criticise smokers, quite virulently too and also suggest they’re using All the health resources.
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I totally agree with your point about not recognising a smoker it kind of proves the point that I pretty clumsily was trying to make about not assuming someone who is obviously overweight as being unhealthy because it isn’t necessarily true.
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Thin people with high cholesterol normally have it due to genetics – 1 in 500 people are estimated to have familial hypercholesterolemia which they are born with and it cannot be cured
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Why should she have to justify her weight though? Why should she apologise? It’s nobody’s business what her weight is, or the reasons for it.
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I wanted to high-five this lady. I don’t see how her weight has anything to do with the person who wrote the letter in to her. We also don’t know how she feels on a daily basis about her size.
To me she seems a great role model for girls – she is well presented and articulate AND has cut it in an industry where your size quite often can hinder career progress.
She is not a number on a scale, and to be perfectly honest I didn’t even notice her size whilst watching the clip.
I would describe myself as someone who is also well presented and articulate and most people wouldn’t know but I constantly thinks about my size (86kg and only 5’4) and everyday feel guilty about how big I am. I work hard at the gym and am very cautious of what I put in my mouth and yet I am hard on myself and can get quite down about it.
I praise Jennifer for speaking out.
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Amazing. Absolutely fucking amazing. This woman is a saint. I love this unconditionally and eternally.
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Wonderful!
But actually, the main and first rebut I had in my head in response to that email was along the lines of, fuck you, we need more overweight people in the public eye so people who look similar actually know they’re a part of society and have some self worth above and beyond what they look like. Health is a different issue and that’s an individual’s responsibility but I say fuck that to the idea that large people have to freaking scurry away and not be seen in case their fatness gets passed onto children. How the hell does that even work anyway.
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That was a very classy, dignified and eloquent response to an email that should never have been sent. She is undoubtedly more than the number on the scales – as are we all – but I find it truly inspiring that she has taken this opportunity to raise awareness in her community of the bullying that occurs, why it occurs, and to give hope to the bullied that they are better than those who taunt and tease them… that they should never be defined by the opinions of bullies. Kudos to her.
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Aww, that made me tear up a little at my desk. What a wonderful example Jennifer is for everyone, you go girl!
Bullying has no place in the workplace, school grounds or community! I’m really glad that society is starting to shine a bright light on bullying and bullies.
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Love this. Yes, we all know that your weight is directly related to how many calories go in versus out. What we don’t focus on enough is the reasons why those calories go in or the factors that impact calories out. People overeat for many reasons including escapism (perhaps from ongoing abuse), emotional issues, depression, low self esteem, poor education, poor access to cheap, nutritious foods etc. Ability to exercise can be limited by disease, disability, income or time. How about we find ways to support people rather than just focusing on the number?
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Actually, it’s not always true that your weight is directly related to how many calories go in. Certainly not for women who have just had a baby, people with diabetes, thyroid and other hormonal issues, slow metabolism or who are genetically predisposed to be bigger. For me, I find it much more disheartening that I can’t lose weight because of medical issues because no matter how well I eat or how much I exercise it is out of my control.
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I agree entirely. I have put on 10kg in the past 12 months, mainly due to having two operations on my kidneys, taking medication, inability to exercise and feeling depressed about my body failing me. The more I put on weight, the more depressed I feel. I can remember once being a nubile, slim 20 year old who naively thought weight lose was easy and why didn’t everyone else just get it. 20 years, three kids, a dysfunctional family that requires support, a very demanding job and newly emerged health issues later = I now have FAR greater empathy and understanding about the complexity of weight gain.
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Having never seen this woman on the American TV station where she reads the news….I can’t say that I find her awesome as the opening line of this article implies.
I did find what she said in response to the email eloquent. She didn’t have to resort to name calling or take on the role of counter-bully to get her point across. So, in regard to what I see in this four and a half minute video clip, addressing the topic at hand, Jennifer Livingstone impresses.
Her words prove that one doesn’t have to be a bully in order to defeat the bully. She could have stood there throwing crap back at the writer of the email. But she didn’t. Sometimes, it’s what we don’t say that shows the world just how much class that we have. No calls for a public flogging. No calls hoping that the email writer falls victim to a fatal disease. No trying to blame anyone other than the writer of the email for the contents of the email Jennifer Livingstone is 100% class.
Some certainly should take note.
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I’ve had a bit of time to reconsider my original comment. I feel that Jennifer is also guilty of bullying. Perhaps there was was no need for her husband to involve himself in the matter. Jennifer possibly could have emailed the guy back, “thanking” him for his opinion but leaving him in no doubt that her weight was none of his business.
I guess that what one see’s as standing up for oneself forcefully, another can see as bullying.
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She could have replied with a private email yes, but this was a perfect opportunity (and also probably not the only one of these letters she has received) to publicly tell the world that this kind of thing is not okay. She didn’t name the guy, so the only person who would have known who she was talking about WAS the man who had sent the letter. This is not an isolated incident – take it from a size 14/16 woman, this happens all the time.
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A great response from the reporter. She talks about the issues really well – about how it made her feel and the possible repercussions of getting criticism like that. The pressure to be thin is ever increasing, regardless of who you are.
I’ve always subscribed to the belief that it’s your fitness and health that is more important than your waist size – there are many unhealthy people who fall into the accepted weight range for their height. The latest results release into obesity research also find the link between fitness and health is just as more important as the size of the person http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health-fitness/new-study-explains-how-you-can-be-fat-and-fit/story-fneuzle5-1226487105827 .
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