Demetria Obilor isn’t holding anything back.
The 26-year-old traffic anchor recently posted a video on her Facebook page, responding to a reader who made comments about her weight and outfit. After just a few weeks on the job, the Dallas-based anchor said after the comments went viral on Twitter, she was overwhelmed with love and support from strangers online.
“The controversy is coming from people who aren’t too happy with the way that I look on television … and saying, ‘Oh, her body is too big for that dress,'” she said in the video, adding other comments ranged from her being too curvy or her hair was too “crazy.”
“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 continued.
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The particular comment in question (which has since been removed from the social media site), was from Facebook user Jan Shedd who said it was “ridiculous” for a size 16/18 woman to wear a size six dress.
“I understand that when I watch Channel 8 I’m going to get biased reporting and political correctness, but clearly they have taken complete leave of their senses. I’m not going to watch Channel 8 anymore,” Shedd said.
“We don’t have to put up with this. And we’re not going to,” Obilor continued. The tweet calling out Shedd by user Fabfreshandfly, even caught the attention of rapper Chance the Rapper.
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A target on TV
Speaking to NBC news after the incident, Obilor said she has developed a thick skin working in television over the years.
“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 told the broadcaster.
“People are going to critique you, people are going to say mean things about you.”
But she also shared some of the emails she received for her hair in particular, and as a black woman, she was once told by a reader to clean her hair.
“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,” she continued.
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Social media users react
Sticking up for not only what she believes in, but also promoting diverse body types on television, social media users across platforms applauded Obilor for staying positive.
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“From one curly curvy girl to another you are pure perfection! You are always dressed professionally, and you are a very classy woman. Unfortunately, some people are insecure. Rather than saying they admire your body or uniqueness they would much rather put you down,” user Antasha Bates wrote.
Some called her an inspiration.
“You are a huge inspiration to our youth. Like my niece who loves her natural hair. It’s women like you she looks up to,” user Yesenia Morales wrote on Twitter.
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