Whether you’re Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian or a local TV anchor, getting emails, tweets, and facebook posts that critique – and that are harshly critical – are all in a day’s work.
The internet provides a cloak of anonymity and distance that allows people to hurl hurtful words that most of them would never even dare to say to someone’s face. But despite people in the media having developed a thick skin over time, those judgemental words can still be hard to handle when they veer from constructive criticism toward being nasty.
One TV anchor, Jennifer Livingston from CBS WKBT in La Crosse, Wisconsin, received such an email from a viewer that tuned in all of about ONE TIME for a fraction of the show, and decided that it was his place to berate her weight based on the fact that oh, um, he knows her like really, really well since he’s her friend / family / such a dedicated viewer. (Not.)
Well, she had enough. And in honor of October being Anti-Bullying month, she decided to take a stand against his hurtful words.
The truth is I am overweight,” Livingston said during the broadcast. “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.
Read on for the beautiful takeaway, and if you’re being bullied, take this to heart. We promise, it’s true.
To all of the children out there who feel lost – who are struggling with your weight, with the color of your skin, your sexual preference, your disability, even the acne on your face – listen to me right now. Do not let your self-worth be defined by bullies. Learn from my experience – that the cruel words of one are nothing compared to the shouts of many.
If you or someone you know is being bullied, you’re not alone. Get help and stop the bullying.
