In the Press: Body Language
Four of Canada’s most prominent TV personalities talk out loud about body shaming, in an effort to make a world where words can’t be used as weapons.
Meredith in the press — the star | words by Rani Sheen | Photography by Erin Leydon
Fat. Flattering. Plus size. Petite. Big boned. Curvy.
The way we talk about women’s bodies is important, because as women, we have to live in them. And women in the public eye face direct body commentary that most of us receive subliminally — especially when their bodies don’t conform to the beauty ideals of the day. It serves to diminish and distract, but for a new wave of women on camera, talking loudly and proudly about their relationship to their bodies is proving a force for change.
As one of very few plus-size women at the forefront of national TV, “Breakfast Television” co-host Meredith Shaw is one of them — and she’s committed to making room for more. “Before, it was a sort of shadowed existence; the conversation wasn't being had,” she said. “I do now have a voice that is heard, but there were many years when I didn't. I think it's important, when you do have that, that you're not the only one having these conversations because the whole point of stepping into representation is to extend that forward.”
There’s power in numbers. “We’re no longer dealing with these feelings alone,” said Shaw. “There's a group effort.” So let’s talk about it. Shaw, Cityline host Tracy Moore, Sports Illustrated model Lauren Chan and Great Canadian Baking Show host Ann Pornel join the chat.
“I’ve worked hard to be in harmony with my body. I’m proud of this journey that we’ve been on together.”
When Meredith Shaw landed in one of Canadian talk TV’s most prominent chairs last September, as co-host of “Breakfast Television,” she noticed that viewers who took issue with her stance on the topic of the day would often bring up her body. “It's like this: ‘I disagree with you and I didn't like your hair’ or ‘you need to lose weight,’ or way worse,” Shaw said. “It’s something people think they can hurt me with. I think before, when I was having a lot of trouble, it would have stopped me in my tracks. Now I can kind of remove who I am from what they think I look like.”
Body scrutiny has been a consistent theme throughout Shaw’s career. “This conversation seems to be something that follows me, because I show up in spaces that people might not expect someone who looks like me to show up in,” she said.
