Canadian news anchor Leslie Horton received widespread praise for her powerful response to a viewer who body-shamed her on live TV. The incident occurred while Horton was delivering her usual traffic report on Global News Morning Calgary. During the segment, she addressed a viewer email that criticized her appearance and questioned whether she was pregnant.
Ms Horton took a moment to address the email directly, stating, "I'm just going to respond to an email that I just got saying, 'Congratulations on your pregnancy.'"
She continued, reading aloud the email's cruel message: "If you're going to wear old bus driver pants, then you have to expect emails like this." "So, thanks for that," she replied sarcastically.
After that, Ms Horton addressed the individual who criticized her clothing directly, responding to the body-shamer's comments about her outfit selection.
"No, I'm not pregnant. I actually lost my uterus to cancer last year," Horton said. "This is what women of my age look like. So, if it is offensive to you, that is unfortunate."
She concluded her on-air message: "Think about the emails that you send."
Ms Horton's response has been widely lauded on social media, with many praising her for standing up to body-shaming and for promoting self-acceptance.
"You're a cancer warrior and a champion for women everywhere! Keep doing what you're doing!" commented the Canadian Cancer Society.
"Cancer or no cancer, Leslie, you're fine in my book. Bump the haters if it's nothing of a positive nature; ignore it and keep doing you," wrote another user.
The rise of social media and digital media has unfortunately led to an increase in body shaming among on-screen people. Celebrities, athletes, and even everyday people who appear in online content are often subjected to cruel and hurtful comments about their bodies. This can have a devastating impact on their mental health and self-esteem.
