Canadian News Anchor Calls Out Viewer Who Criticized Her For Showing ‘Too Much Cleavage’: ‘I’m Taking My Power Back’

A Canadian news anchor called out a viewer on Twitter recently after the person in question sent an email to her news team complaining she had “too much cleavage” on show.

Kori Sidaway, a journalist at CHEK News in Victoria, British Columbia, accused the “nameless computer warrior(s)” of “trying to reduce women into an outfit or a body part.”

Sidaway’s message included, “This screenshot was sent to me and my colleagues in an attempt to shame and police my body. Well, I’m taking my power back.”

This screenshot was sent to me and my colleagues in an attempt to shame and police my body. Well, I’m taking my power back.

To the nameless computer warrior(s) who try to reduce women into an outfit or a body part — this generation of women, doesn’t stand for harassment👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏻✌🏻 pic.twitter.com/fgGySbVTYy

— Kori Sidaway (@korisidaway) September 7, 2020

The anonymous viewer sent Sidaway and some of her colleagues two pics with an email telling her to “dress appropriately.”

One photo was Sidaway doing her job, the other was a cleavage pic.

The person in question wrote, “Too much cleavage can break your news story,” signing it off from the “Vancouver Island Cleavage Patrol.”

Sidaway also posted on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

This screenshot was sent to me and pretty much all my colleagues in my newsroom in an attempt to strategically shame and police my body. Unfortunately this happens quite often with women working in the public eye, but this was one of the worst. To the nameless keyboard warrior(s) who try to reduce women in media, in politics, in whatever workplace, in public or at home — into an outfit or a body part — just a warning, this generation of women doesn’t stand for harassment of any kind👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏻✌🏻

A post shared by Kori Anne (@korisidaway) on Sep 7, 2020 at 8:24am PDT

The journalist received support from numerous social media users, including messages from fellow anchors.

The top is beautiful and there was nothing wrong with it. The keyboard critics need to shut up because no one cares about their antiquated ideas or sexist opinions.
Women journalists aren’t there to be ogled, we’re there to do our job. Full stop.

— Penny Daflos (@PennyDaflos) September 7, 2020

I got an anonymous handwritten letter delivered to my network two weeks ago saying “decent men don’t want to see your ‘low cut tops.’ It shows poor taste in character. Hope you come to your senses and stick to doing your job.” I hate to hear it’s happening across Canada 😡😡

— Camila Gonzalez (@camxgonzalez) September 7, 2020

Sidaway then posted:

Well this kind of blew up…Thank you all for sharing your own stories & kind words. I feel so much less alone, so supported and so much more empowered. You helped take my lemon and made lemonade 🍋 💛 Thank you.

— Kori Sidaway (@korisidaway) September 8, 2020