Television

News anchor responds to criticism about her weight

When a viewer wrote a letter to La Crosse, Wisconsin morning news anchor Jennifer Livingston criticising her for being fat, the anchor didn’t let it slide. She responded on air in a well-thought-out argument that is now going viral.

In the video, Livingston explains that she received a letter on Friday from viewer Kenneth W. Krause which read, in part: “Surely you don’t consider yourself a suitable example for this community’s young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain.”

The letter went on to say that Livingston has an obligation to her viewers, particularily young girls, to be a healthy role model.

Livingston’s husband, who is also a news anchor at station, posted the letter on Facebook and Livingston received many comments denouncing the criticism. But that wasn’t enough for the news anchor.

“Attacks like this are not OK,” Livingston said. “The truth is, I am overweight. You could call me fat, and even obese, on a doctor’s chart. But, to the person who wrote me that letter: Do you think I don’t know that? That your cruel words are pointing out something that I don’t see?”

Livingston goes on say that October is national anti-bullying month in the U.S. and that children who hear such hurtful comments from the adults in their life go on to make the same comments themselves.

“What really angers me about this is that there are children who don’t know better,” Livingston says. “Who are getting emails as critical as the one I received or, in many cases, even worse, each and every day.

“If you are at home, and you are talking about the fat news lady, guess what, your children are probably going to go to school and call someone fat. We need to teach our kids how to be kind, not critical, and we need to do that by example.”

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