A Canadian meteorologist asked her viewers to keep their comments about the way she dressed to themselves, and it worked — but only for a short while.
Kristi Gordon, who works the weather desk for Global News, announced her pregnancy earlier this year, and with memories of her first pregnancy still fresh in her mind, she asked her viewers to keep their hate mail to themselves. This plea seemed to do the job for a couple of months, but then the trickle of negative comments began in earnest and eventually escalated into straight-up body-shaming.
She reports that most of the initial comments were sweet and supportive, but soon a few mild “suggestions” from viewers starting popping up, suggesting the tops she was wearing that were formfitting weren’t professional. “We all know you are pregnant and if you wear the tops like your 1st child we will not watch anymore,” one viewer wrote in. “Why don’t you wear nice looser tops, they look much nicer! Hope more people write in and say the same.”
As her belly grew, the comments became worse and worse, and she was called a “hussy” and asked why she didn’t have more respect for her unborn child. And then the comments became super disparaging and personal, especially from a few people who donned the name The Group when they wrote her. They told her she was gross, her butt was enormous and that she should “cover up or take time off.”
Gordon wrote up her experience for Global News and explained that despite her determination to not let any of the comments get to her, that last one did, and she actually thanks The Group for this important reminder. “The negative thoughts seep in when you don’t even realize it,” she writes. “Even a little joking comment could do some damage. Hopefully this can help us all be more aware of our impact on others.”
Gordon’s amazing perspective certainly comes in handy, but I have to question those who would be disturbed at something as normal as a pregnant silhouette. I can’t even wrap my head around this thought. If a pregnant belly bothers you enough that you body-shame the woman toting it, then you have to take a good, long look at yourself and the reasons you’re doing so. The woman isn’t running around naked — she’s sporting attractive, well-cut maternity wear.
She notes that she will not be buying new maternity clothes and that she loves her job and will not be taking time off. Pregnant women can continue to work, and it’s OK if we see that her belly is large. That’s kind of what happens. Saying a highly visible pregnant woman should dress in loose clothes or just quit is pretty backward, and I’m glad she can roll with the punches as she continues her pregnancy in style.
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