Wisconsin local news anchor addresses email on air; talks obesity, bullying

With the flip of the calendar, jacket weather and changing leaves enter Oklahoma daily life.

But October also brings with it an attention to a more sobering aspect of society.

It's National Bullying Prevention Month.

According to Pacer.org , more than 160,000 U.S. students stay home from school every day for fear of being bullied.

And it's a problem that appears to get worse every year, specifically cyber bullying.

Bullyingstatistics.org says about 58 percent of kids and teens have reported that something mean has been said about them or to them online -- about 35 percent have been threatened online.

But bullying doesn't end with childhood.

A video posted to YouTube Tuesday from WKBT in La Crosse, Wisc. shared an intimate experience from a morning anchor on the issues of obesity, bullying and rising insensitivity.

The video attached below can also be viewed at http://bit.ly/T01q6M for mobile users.

The anchor, Jennifer Livingston, speaks to an email she received entitled "Community responsibility."

The email states:

It's unusual that I see your morning show, but I did so for a very short time today. I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition hasn't improved for many years. Surely you don't consider yourself a suitable example for this community's young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain. I leave you this note hoping that you'll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Livingston addressed the email for more than four minutes, speaking with candor and emotion. She called the viewer a bully, but chose to turn something "very painful" into an opportunity to focus on the larger issue.

Concluding the segment, Livingston said, "I leave you with this: To all of the children out there who feel lost, who are struggling with your weight, with the color of your skin, your sexual preference, your disability, even the acne on your face, listen to me right now. Do not let your self-worth be defined by bullies. Learn from my experience that the cruel words of one are nothing compared to the shouts of many."

Thousands have shown their support for Livingston on Facebook since the show's airing.