News Anchor Humiliated by Viewer for Years over Her Body, Finally Shuts Him Down on Air with Perfect Answer

• Leslie Horton, a news anchor for Global News Calgary, received a mean email from a viewer just before going on air.
• She decided to address the shameful email on television.
• Horton stood up for herself and many other women who have been criticized for their appearance.

On November 29, 2023, Leslie Horton, a news anchor for Global News Calgary, addressed a hurtful and offensive email she received from a viewer before going live. She kept her response short but turned it into a teachable moment for anyone who has ever thought of sending an unkind email.

Horton said the person behind the email was a regular viewer of her traffic morning report because she had received several emails from them. The email struck a nerve this time, and the news anchor felt urged to address it on air.

The message that Horton received read, "Congratulations on your pregnancy. If you're going to wear old bus driver pants, you can expect emails like this."

The 59-year-old woman knows she is not advised to respond to any hate email, but this hurtful message evoked something in her. She expressed, "We're not supposed to respond to trolls — so I had no plans to address it, but then the words just came out of my mouth. I had this visceral reaction."

The news anchor started off by informing her audience that she was about to address an email she received just before going on air. She proceeded to state:

"No, I'm not pregnant. I actually lost my uterus to cancer last year, and this is what women my age look like."

Horton was certain that the person behind the email was a regular viewer who would most likely know that she had battled endometrial cancer. The anchor is a mother to an 18-year-old daughter and opened up about her diagnosis in 2020.

She was candid with her audience about her journey and kept giving updates along the way. Horton continued to reiterate that she had a radical hysterectomy, meaning that not only her uterus was removed but everything else, which in turn affected the shape of her body.

Horton felt that the man's comment was insensitive, leading her to a breaking point. After explaining the life-altering cancer diagnosis she had survived, she followed up her response by saying, "So, if it's offensive to you, that is unfortunate. Think about the emails you send."

Although the man's comment triggered many of her painful personal experiences, at the core of it, Horton was tired of the many unkind messages that female anchors and women in general receive.

She continued to reiterate that the men at Global News Calgary rarely had any comments about their appearance and that they were shocked at the mean things that were said about their fellow female anchors.

Horton had many people on her side who were proud that she stood up for herself and put an end to the constant slander. To add to her response, the anchor was asked if she would continue to wear pants, and she replied:

"I will continue wearing the pants, and I will continue going on TV because you telling me I'm old, ugly, and fat doesn't change the way I feel about myself."

The mother expressed that she would not allow the rude comments to stop her from being herself. In fact, she believes that local news should be representative of its diverse communities.

Other anchors praised Horton, calling her response "classy." They were proud of how composed she was while replying to a hurtful email and showcasing the importance of kindness.

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