Reducing Shame to a Blip on the Radar

EPISODE #39  |  November 23th, 2019


Guest: Tracy Hinson, Meteorologist and General Assignment Multi-skilled Journalist, KSDK


Nothing clouded her vision for what she predicted as her future career. Having always enjoyed science in school, she was instantly attracted to watching an anticyclonic tornado, one that rotates the opposite direction, back in Sunnyvale, CA, where she grew up. As a fan of science already and a newfound fan of weather phenomenon, Tracy had a hunch in grade school that she wanted to grow up to be a meteorologist. What she hadn’t forecasted, though, was how, as a female TV weathercaster, winds of shame could pick up so quickly.


What popped up most recently isn’t so much related to the weather as much as it is a reflection of unsolicited stormy feedback about appearances. A few weeks ago, someone named Mary fat-shamed Tracy, via email. Tracy’s response on Twitter went viral. Find out why having confidence, empowering herself and other women, and loving food – especially mac and cheese – reduced the fat-shaming to nothing more than a blip on the radar screen in this week’s Mental Health Matters with Executive Director Tom Duff, LCSW.