Two broadcasters body-shamed girls during a high school basketball game. They were quickly fired.
– Washington Post.
The body-shaming incident quickly sparked outrage in the small community, drawing hundreds of social media comments. Many praised Grant, the owner of the small radio station, for his swiftness in dismissing the two men.
A few people who were viewing the game called Grant about an on-air conversation between two of his station’s broadcasters. Sports commentators Jim Carter and Steve Shaw had called some high school athletes overweight and laughed about it.
The men quoted saying in a 34-second clip, “Two girls out here, extremely overweight,” “How come you don’t get uniforms that fit the girls?” the other broadcaster said, followed by laughter.
Both men have since been terminated for making “comments that were not only inappropriate” but also “blatantly wrong,”
One person wrote, “The girls singled out in that video will NEVER forget that. It will stick with them for the rest of their lives. … Their bodies never should have been a topic of discussion.”
In the statement posted to Facebook, Grant asked those who shared the clip on social media to remove the content, “not to downplay the incident, but to better help, all of our students move on to the important work and events in their lives.”
He added: “All of our students deserve our respect. Our students are living through the most challenging times in our history. Not only are they struggling through a pandemic, but they also have the challenges of living in an age of social media.”
We at Fearless Focus feel in situations like this; it is important to understand that what other people say and think about you does not define you as a person. We agree with the statement that Grant made about not allowing situations like this to become viral through social media etc. and that it is vital to help the victims to be able to heal and move on. Having compassion for your peers and acceptance of body diversity can significantly change the narrative.
Go VIP with Us!
We are so happy you're here!
Enter your name and email to get added to our newsletter list - and be the first to know about upcoming camps and promotions!