The more energy and effort we put into asserting ourselves as three-dimensional, confident people, the more toxic individuals seem to crop up specifically with intent to dim our shine and the shine of people we connect and identify with. The easiest place to be a bully is behind a keyboard.
CTV chief meteorologist Kelsey McEwen recently received a now-deleted poisonous tweet from a viewer who didn’t approve of her on-air attire. "Welcome back @KelseyMcEwen #WeatherGirl from @YourMorning," the comment reads. "How come none of your cohorts haven't told you #PantyLines #CamelToe #BubbleButt #RedIsNotYourFriend."
Um, what?!
Sorry, not sorry, was the meteorologist's response.
Just because trolls dish it out doesn’t mean we have to take it.
“Listen, I own my body, camel toe & bubble butt included, Kelsey tweeted back. "Your words bring me zero shame. Your feelings about my body & outfit are a you problem, not a me problem. And red? Red is The only thing that isn’t my friend here, is you."
Her reply was a masterclass in body acceptance and ownership. She deserves an ovation for stepping into her power while unapologetically shutting down the commenter.
She disempowered the bully with the bully's own words.
Most importantly, Kelsey shared across the Twitterverse that the feelings of another person about her physical being and clothing didn’t matter. Reactions to her response were full of support.
One tweet exclaimed, “Well when I was at the gym this morning I saw you on TV and I thought you looked amazing. You go girl and wear what you want!!!”
“I'm sorry you had to use your precious energy to respond to this untrue post about you," another commenter shared. "Although I support you for doing so at the same time.”
“You looked amazing! Enough body shaming and misogyny. Meteorologist, not weather girl,” commented a third person.
Kelsey has been using social media to spread a message of confidence and self-love for some time.
Back in January, Kelsey posted a video sharing how good it feels to cast off the shield of the big hair and “so much makeup” that she wore earlier in her career. In the video she embraced approaching the age of 40, being free of shapewear and excess makeup while on-air and embracing the confidence she has to be “good with it.”
She added in the description, “Whether you wear makeup, or not … you are WORTHY, and have so much VALUE. I’m learning to separate my value from how I look, and it’s an amazing thing.”
The mom of three is no stranger to defending herself against internet trolls.
In 2017 while 34 weeks pregnant, a viewer described her outfit as being “skintight and disgusting."
McEwen addressed the comment on the show and explained why body-shaming comments are offensive.
"I'm a firm believer that my body and your body is no one’s business," she shared with Yahoo! at the time. "Your body is not for anyone to talk about — whether they are talking about your pregnant shape, your athleticism, your hair color, or your skin color — it is not anyone else’s business but your own."
She noted that unnecessarily critical comments can detract from deeper discussions and that worth based on attractiveness sets us up for repeated failures.
Thanks to her own empowerment, she has said her piece without rehashing negative exchanges. Her social media feeds are full of great weather information and special moments with her three kids, further spreading all the positivity.
Kelsey clearly knows enjoying her life is the best way to beat a troll.
