A TV Station Suspended 8 Female Hosts for Being Overweight
They were given one month to lose weight.
By Neha Prakash
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Body-shaming in the workplace has reached an ugly new low.
A state-run TV station in Egypt has caused outrage after suspending eight on-air female hosts for being overweight. The Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) gave employees one month to lose weight to achieve an "appropriate appearance," before allowing them to appear on camera again, according to the BBC.
And, most shockingly, the decision to body shame employees and force them to diet didn't come from a clueless man, but from a female director, Safaa Hegazy, who formerly served as an anchor for the network.
Unsurprisingly, local and international groups are condemning the network for their sexist treatment of the women. The Women's Centre for Guidance and Legal Awareness has asked the ERTU to reverse it's suspension, saying it "violates the constitution." The situation has also become a free-for-all with several media personalities and Twitter users debating the appropriateness of the decision and even, appallingly, the appearance of the women. The BBC elaborates:
Some users voiced support for the women, but others called them "bakabouzas", a term Egyptians use to describe overweight girls. One female Twitter user described ERTU head Safaa Hegazy as a "strong woman" for making the decision.
A few of the women effected by the decision have spoken out about the ordeal. Khadija Khattab, a host on Egypt's Channel 2, said she wants "people to watch her most recent TV appearances and judge for themselves if she is really 'fat,' and whether she deserves to be prevented from working," the BBC adds.
Despite the public outcries, the ERTU has no plans to change its suspension, but adds the women won't have their pay and benefits docked. (Don't hold your breathe for our cheers, ERTU.)
Of course, this isn't the only recent instance of public body-shaming women at work. In May, a weather presenter was asked to cover up with a sweater, mid-segment, after viewers complained about her dress. And last September, Air India grounded 130 flight attendants for being too overweight to fly.
Topicsweightbody shaming