A CANADIAN news anchor fired back after receiving an email from a viewer self-described as “Vancouver Island Cleavage Patrol” telling her to dress more conservatively. Kori Sidaway posted the scathing email she received on Twitter, saying it was “an attempt to shame and police my body.” “Well, I’m taking my power back,” Sidaway, a reporter […]
A CANADIAN news anchor fired back after receiving an email from a viewer self-described as “Vancouver Island Cleavage Patrol” telling her to dress more conservatively.
Kori Sidaway posted the scathing email she received on Twitter, saying it was “an attempt to shame and police my body.”
“Well, I’m taking my power back,” Sidaway, a reporter for CHEK News in Victoria, Canada.
“To the nameless computer warrior(s) who try to reduce women into an outfit or a body part,” she continued. “This generation of women doesn’t stand for harassment.”
The email in question demanded Sidaway to “dress appropriately” because “it was hard work to get there.”
The “Cleavage Patrol” offered what they thought was good advice to the reporter.
“Too much cleavage can break your news story,” they wrote.
“Don’t let it happen to you,” they said, while attaching a photo of Sidaway with another photo of another woman wearing a similar white shirt showing much more chest area.
Just three days after she posted it on Twitter, Sidaway already received over 5,000 likes and plenty of support.
Plenty of Twitter users rushed to her side, saying she was beautiful and dressed professionally – and to disregard what the email sender said.
“My husband just showed this to me and I am so angry!!! Absolutely nothing wrong with what you wore,” wrote one user. “You should wear it again next time you anchor just to prove a point.
“Good grief. Some men insist on acting like 10 year olds. I still remember that NDP member of the BC Legislature criticizing Christy Clark for a perfectly appropriate top that he thought showed too much,” said another. “On behalf of all men I apologize for these man-children.”
“Good for you for speaking out about an experience all too common for female broadcasters. As a TV journalist, I’ve been criticized for not matching up to how people “think” women on TV should look,” said a journalist. “I’ve been called ugly, ‘not feminine enough’, etc. It is never acceptable.”
“WHAT. This is insanely rude, inappropriately and disgusting,” said fellow news anchor Alanna Kelly.
Sidaway thanked the commenters for their overwhelmingly positive responses.
“Well this kind of blew up,” she said. “Thank you all for sharing your own stories & kind words.”
“I feel so much less alone, so supported and so much more empowered,” she ended. “You helped take my lemon and made lemonade
