Being in the limelight can be unforgiving mainly because thousands and even millions of people you don’t know are looking at you and are sensitive to even the most minor imperfections that you may have.
The Internet only complicates the matter because it allows trolls to say anything they want from the safety of their anonymity.
But Elizabeth Ries wasn’t going to take it sitting down and called out one anonymous body-shamer. On February 28, Ries, the co-host of Twin Cities Live, airing weekdays at 3 p.m. on KSTP in Minneapolis, shared two emails she had received from viewers for the same on-air segment.
She had posted a photo of herself with a pair of blue jeans while holding a microphone. As is typical with anything posted online, the comments started to flow in.
One comment, which was positive, went: “This is a strange question but where did you get the jeans you had on today? They looked so great on you. I have a similar build as you and have been looking for skinny’s. I sure enjoy you and Steve!!!! ? Thank you – Julie,” read the first email, which Ries shared on Facebook.
The second one, however, from someone named “Maggie,” was more critical: “Saw you on TCL at the home and garden show and I was so embarrassed for you. Either start working out or wear much longer shirts that cover your butt. You are definitely not a good example for fitness.”
Ries confidently replied that the stranger’s negative comments had “way more to do with them,” but put her foot down on body shaming.
“I’m confident enough in myself (I am more than my body!) and my body (strong, healthy, beautiful and birthed two children!) to not let her venomous words change how I look at myself,” wrote Ries. “Regardless, the bite stings. And I speak out about it because IT IS NOT OKAY TO BODY SHAME PEOPLE.”
She continued: “While I know that I will not spiral into depression, self-harm or an eating disorder, countless studies show that fat-shaming (especially of young girls) is DIRECTLY related to disordered eating. There is not a single study that shows that fat-shaming leads to better health or fitness.”
Ries, who also has a farming blog called Home to Homestead, emphasized how serious the negativity was.
“This is not just an issue of Maggie not being nice with her words,” she wrote. “These comments can very literally lead to the serious illness or death of those they are directed at. And if she has no problem saying it to me, who else is she saying it to?”
She concluded: “We must name it, call it out when we see it and shout from the rooftops that body shaming will not be tolerated. Who’s with me?”
On her show, Ries made a reference to the viral post, adding that “there are WAY more Julie’s than Maggie’s in the world. But the Maggie’s can do exponential damage to both people in their lives and people (like TV hosts!) they don’t even know.”
Replaced!