Fat-shamed no more: Jennifer Livingston

Since 1997, Jennifer Livingston has been involved in television journalism, and during that time she’s gotten thousands of critical letters addressing everything under the sun.  She’s gotten good at blowing them off or ignoring them for what they are–mindless noise. However, when she got an email from viewer Kenneth Krause criticizing her for her weight, that was a step too far.  Wisconsin news anchor Jennifer Livingston addressed viewer Kenneth Krause’s criticisms of her weight in a segment on television.  She did it not for herself, she says, but for her daughters and other children who might not have her sense of self-worth.

“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,” said Livingston on a four-minute segment on WKBT-TV in which she addressed the email.  “Learn from my experience — that the cruel words of one are nothing compared to the shouts of many.”

That’s the thing about this email and the core criticism of Livingston.  I guarantee you she’s not the only fat person on television, because obesity rates are skyrocketing.  Even if she’s one of the few non-weathermen to carry extra pounds, she won’t be the only one for long.

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