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A Sky News commentator has criticized Mike Carlton for ridiculing a body image advocate who was named Australian of the Year 2023.
Sophie Elsworth, who is the media writer for The Australian newspaper, criticized the left-leaning journalist for his tweet about Taryn Brumfitt.
Ms Brumfitt is a former bodybuilder turned body image activist who was crowned our best Aussie at a glittering ceremony in Canberra on Wednesday night.
She has been advocating for body positivity for the past decade and encourages mothers to walk naked in front of their children so they can feel more comfortable with the natural changes that happen to a body over time.
Carlton took aim at Ms Brumfitt on Wednesday night, saying the Australian of the Year award should have gone to someone who doesn’t ‘make money by saying it’s okay to be a little fat’.
Ms. Brumfitt, 44, is an activist, writer, director, and public speaker who has been on a decade-long mission to change the way we perceive ourselves.
Carlton said he believed the Australian of the Year award should have gone to a different recipient, such as a health worker.
“My Australian of the year would be a doctor or nurse working nights in intensive care or the emergency department, dealing with COVID and daily death,” she wrote.
‘Real, compassionate work. For very little money. NOT someone who makes money by saying it’s okay to be a little fat. Good night.’
Ms Elsworth is among a growing list of women who have spoken out against Carlton and the commentator called him an attention seeker on Thursday night.
“I hate to talk about Mike Carlton because he has a habit of inserting himself into history, and then he loves the attention that comes with it,” he told Sky News.
“But I think she completely missed the Aussie of the Year point here, she really focuses on body image and hopefully a lot of Aussies will learn that they don’t have to have the perfect body.”
“I think social media has done immense damage to society’s perceptions of body image and I think a lot of good will come of this.”
2GB presenter Ben Fordham joined the crowd in a withering spray. “I think Mike needs to take his happy pills instead of trolling a woman on a mission to help children,” he said.
Mr Carlton criticized the decision in an incendiary tweet saying the award should have gone to someone who doesn’t “make money by saying it’s okay to be a little fat”.
In a tweet posted after the announcement of Ms Brumfitt as the winner of the Australia Day jackpot in Canberra on Wednesday night, veteran journalist Mike Carlton made his views of the decision known on his account with nearly 194,000 followers. .
Carlton also tweeted ‘Who? ? ?’ when news of Mrs Brumfitt’s award first broke on Wednesday night
Sharna Bremner, founder and director of End Rape on Campus Australia, tweeted: “Eating disorders are the third most common illness among young women in Australia and have the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric disorders,” she posted.
“These two (Carlton and fellow journalist and supporter Paul Bongiorno) should be ashamed of their ignorance and s****y comments.”
Disgusting, ignorant old white men. F*** them,’ another person replied.
“So saddened to see this, it shows how much more education is needed on eating disorders and for men to understand the female experience of being reduced to ornamentation their entire lives,” Sonya Semmens tweeted.
The negative reaction to his tweet prompted Carlton to begin blocking those who challenged his opinion of Brumfitt’s award.
He must have blocked about sixty jerks of one kind or another in the last 24 hours. But it’s a sunny day and I have better things to do,’ he posted earlier on Australia Day.
Ms. Bremner also shared a screenshot of Mr. Carlton having blocked her from her account.
Ms. Brumfitt, 44, is an activist, writer, director, and public speaker who has been on a decade-long mission to change the way we perceive ourselves.
The Body Image Movement, which she founded in 2012, teaches people, particularly young women, to love and appreciate their bodies and has brought her to a global audience from her humble hometown of Adelaide.
In her award acceptance speech, Ms Brumfitt said body shaming had become a chronic national problem, with 70 per cent of schoolchildren listing it as their top concern.
“We are facing a pediatric health emergency with skyrocketing rates of suicide, depression, eating disorders, anxiety and steroid use related to body dissatisfaction,” he told the audience.
“We now know that youth with poor body image are 24 times more likely to be depressed and anxious.
‘There is so much despair in this nation for children and adults when it comes to what we think and how we feel about our bodies.
“Australia, the purpose of our life is not to be at war with our body.”
Ms Brumfitt is a former bodybuilder turned body image activist who was crowned our best Aussie at a glittering ceremony in Canberra on Wednesday night.