A Canadian news anchor has hit back after a viewer slammed her outfit for revealing “too much cleavage”.
Kori Sidaway took to Twitter with a screenshot of an email she’d been sent telling her to shape up and “dress appropriately”.
“Too much cleavage can break your news story,” the email sent from the “Vancouver Island Cleavage Patrol” read.
“Don’t let it happen to you.”
The keyboard critics need to shut up because no one cares about their antiquated ideas or sexist opinions.
Included in the message was a snap of Sidaway delivering the news at the weekend while wearing a white long-sleeved top and a picture of an unknown woman wearing a similar shirt but with a more dramatic neckline.
“What you think we see and what we actually see,” the message said.
“Dress appropriately, it was hard work to get there.”
This screenshot was sent to me and my colleagues in an attempt to shame and police my body. Well, I’m taking my power back.
To the nameless computer warrior(s) who try to reduce women into an outfit or a body part — this generation of women, doesn’t stand for harassment👩🏼🤝👩🏻✌🏻 pic.twitter.com/fgGySbVTYy
— Kori Sidaway (@korisidaway) September 7, 2020
But the reporter wasn’t about to simply stand and take the hit.
“This screenshot was sent to me and my colleagues in an attempt to shame and police my body,” she said on Twitter, sharing a snap of the message to her.
“Well, I’m taking my power back.
“To the nameless computer warrior(s) who try to reduce women into an outfit or a body part — this generation of women, doesn’t stand for harassment.”
Her tweet has been liked more than 5300 times and received plenty of replies in support of her stand and others who revealed their own similar stories.
Reporter and TV host Camila Gonzalez wrote: “I got an anonymous handwritten letter delivered to my network two weeks ago saying: ‘Decent men don’t want to see your low-cut tops. It shows poor taste in character. Hope you come to your senses and stick to doing your job.’
“I hate to hear it’s happening across Canada.”
Journalist Penny Daflos said the “keyboard critics need to shut up because no one cares about their antiquated ideas or sexist opinions”.
“Women journalists aren’t there to be ogled, we’re there to do our job. Full stop,” she said.
Sidaway went on to thank those who had shared their stories and kind words.
“I feel so much less alone, so supported and so much more empowered,” she said.
“You helped take my lemon and made lemonade. Thank you.”
