(Originally published on May 8, 2014.)

It’s simple. Body shaming is not okay. Ever. In any city. I could not believe my ears when I was waiting for my beloved San Antonio Spurs to play Portland in the NBA Playoffs. Right before the game our television was tuned to TNT and I heard Charles Barkley was at it again. He had some offensive remarks about the women of San Antonio – he was body shaming. Oh, Chuck.

You can listen to Barkley’s comments in the video above and watch Mayor Julián Castro‘s response to Barkley’s similar comments in 2012 below:

YouTube video

My anger isn’t so much that it was directed at San Antonio but it was directed at women. His remarks were ignorant and unnecessary. When LA Clippers former owner Donald Sterling was caught saying racist remarks, Charles Barkley was among those demanding repercussions for his words.

An article in  LA Times, quotes Barkley:

“You can’t have this guy making statements like that. You have to suspend him and fine him immediately,” Barkley went on to say that someone in a position of authority in the NBA, such as a team owner, cannot be allowed to make racist statements.

No room for racism but plenty of room for body shaming women? There’s room for neither. This wasn’t “just for fun.” This is shaming. Barkley and his buddies are reporting for the NBA on TNT.  People are tuning in and listening. Someone behind a sports desk can not be allowed to make body shaming statements. Body shaming women is not okay. Period.

For the record, San Antonio is full of beautiful women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and colors. We support one another, too. Instead of harping on the ignorance of Barkley and the rest of the TNT Sports Desk  – who instigated and laughed at his words – we will celebrate who we are.

We have already hosted events like TEDx San Antonio’s Redefining Beauty salon where we spent a day combating the negative images of women in the media. It was a day where we empowered one another and defined and celebrated our own unique beauty. Read more about the event in this article published on the Rivard Report.

So you know what? We are at it again, too. Along with my fellow proud SA women and bloggers, Tori Johnson and Michelle Cantu, we are calling on our San Antonio female community to raise your voice! Show everyone that we are more than a number on a scale. Show that you are a #PROUDSAWOMAN.

If you would like to join in, we encourage you to post your photo across social media with the hashtag #ProudSAWoman.

proudsawoman

This story has been republished with permission from www.QueMeansWhat.com.

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Melanie Mendez Gonzales is the original content creator for QueMeansWhat.com. and a Latina mom blogger in Texas sharing experiences about parenting, about her cultural 'identity crisis' as a Texicana:...

18 replies on “#ProudSAWoman Responds to Charles Barkley Body Shaming”

  4. “My anger isn’t so much that it was directed at San Antonio but it was directed at women. His remarks were ignorant and unnecessary.” <–Yes. This. Unnecessary and directed at women. Great to see social media women (and quite a few men now on Twitter) push back on this. I hope Weight Watchers (whom Barkley reps) and ESPN are listening.

  7. I will admit that body shaming is not a quality human value. Especailly when a body shaming comment is directed to you. As I once personally experienced.

    However, when I saw this same Charles Barkley controversy on a local television news station. The news station stated that Charles Barkeley is a spokesperson for Weight Watchers. And supposedly this same television station reporter mentioned they she reached out to Weight Watchers for a comment on Charles Barkley remark. Whichever, Weight Watchers has yet to reach back to this local television station for a comment on Charles Barley controversy.

    Charles Barkley also pointed out that our beloved San Antonio River and referred to it as a creek. But that is asides from the issue here.

    If Charles Barkley was anything of a man with a good sense of human male value… An apology to the City of San Antonio and all of you women whom he has offended would be wise. Not to mention those who have loved ones whom have experienced body or any kind of shaming that is offensive.

  10. I am in love with this, have been sharing it all over. But I would say it would be awesome if those rebutting Barkley didn’t turn around and body snark on him, too. Two wrongs don’t make a right, and all that.

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