Twitter Hails Reporter Demetria Obilor For Taking A Stand Against Body Shaming
ABC-affiliated television station, WFAA Channel 8 reporter, Demetria Obilor was criticized on Facebook by a news viewer on Wednesday who said that Obilor "looks ridiculous" in her clothes.
Jan Shedd shared an image of Obilor in a red dress on her Facebook account, criticizing the way she looked in it. The post has since been taken down but a screenshot of it was posted on Twitter by a user named Mother of Draggings, who wrote, "Jan is big mad. Don’t be like Jan."
"She's a 16/18 woman in a size 6 dress and looks ridiculous," the post said. The woman also said that she would stop watching the news channel.
Jan is big mad. Don’t be like Jan. pic.twitter.com/ytAKJHMXBy
— FKA Nigs (@fabfreshandfly) November 3, 2017
Obilor, who previously worked as a traffic reporter for KLAS-TV in Las Vegas started working for WFAA Channel 8, two weeks ago. She spoke to NBC News and said that she became aware of the Facebook post on Friday when a Twitter user posted a screenshot of it on the social media network.
Obilor refused to be body shamed and hit back saying that she won’t be affected by body shaming.
"I'm not a 16/18, but even if I was, for you to try to call out my size like that to hurt me or discriminate against me, I'm not for that," she said.
She added, "When you get older and you’re in the news people warn you that, 'Hey, you're going to be under a harsh lens. People are going to critique you; people are going to say mean things about you.'" However, having been in the business for four years, Obilor says that she has developed a thick skin and doesn’t get hurt by such comments.
Obilor also shared a video on Friday addressing the "haters."
"This is the way that I'm built. This is the way I was born. I'm not going anywhere, so if you don't like it, you have your options," she said in the video.
Addressing the haters, showing love to my ppl 💗 and thank you @chancetherapper 💯 pic.twitter.com/ks2cTSuLLe
— Demetria Obilor (@DemetriaObilor) November 3, 2017
The woman’s Facebook post sparked outrage on social media as Twitter users showed their support for Obilor and criticized Jan Shedd’s views.
Here are some reactions.
BIIIIIIG MAD https://t.co/E9yzWbU9m8
— Chance The Rapper (@chancetherapper) November 3, 2017
I HEAR you. SO much. People feel it’s okay to comment rudely about my frame. I was born this way, it’s prob never gonna change please stop☝️
— Ashleigh Murray (@iamamurray) November 4, 2017
You’re beautiful. Your body is beautiful. Your spirit is beautiful. Your vibe and energy beautiful. Your eloquence beautiful.
— Sofiya Abena Ballin (@sofiyaballin) November 4, 2017
Demetria Obilor looks so damn good.
— Daryl 🍃 (@nappyxbohemian) November 5, 2017
Chicks like Demetria Obilor is EVERYTHING the networks are looking for: Pretty, young, kinda-sorta racially ambiguous girl with #TargetHair
— Charles Mingus fan account (@petty_marshall) November 4, 2017
#ABC #Dallas #Beautiful #Demetria #Obilor Use the concept Michelle Obama uses Folks go low , we go high pic.twitter.com/2FY4bxDQz5
— JaZzArT- EmerSon (@EmerSonJazzart9) November 4, 2017
I never turn on the TV early enough to see Daybreak, but I'll start watching now to support the fab Demetria Obilor.
— Linda Coleman (@LindaColemanDFW) November 4, 2017
Demetria Obilor? Say her name say her name
— Tia Bruja (@sapiopaz) November 3, 2017
This is not the first time that Obilor was criticized for her appearance. Back in May 2017, she shared a screenshot of an email from a viewer who said her natural hairstyle must be hard to clean and must "smell bad."
Obilor, whose mother is white and father is Nigerian, said that people need to accept that times have changed and some styles and body types which were once rarely seen in the media are now being embraced. "Black people on TV; there’s nothing wrong with that," she said. "Naturally, curly hair — I don't care if a black woman wants to wear her hair straight or in braids, you don't get to say what's professional and what's not professional based on your white standard of beauty."
Meghan McCain, daughter of Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), also thanked Obilor for speaking out against body shaming.
Thank you @DemetriaObilor for speaking out against body shaming - it's a sick part of our culture. You're absolutely gorgeous.
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) November 4, 2017
Obilor told NBC News that it's time to set a new standard in society.
"It's not about my unhurt feelings," she said. "It's about what's acceptable in society and how we, as people in the media, we have to make things right,” she added.
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