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Why was Blake McCoy suspended? DC's Fox News 5 anchor 'annoyed' obese people are getting vaccinated early

A user wrote in response to his apology: 'You dread being fat. All you see is fat. Being fat is your biggest fear in life. You don’t need our forgiveness, you need therapy'

A news anchor working for the Fox 5 station in Washington, DC, has been suspended after he complained about obese people getting the vaccine early on Twitter.

Blake McCoy had tweeted, “I'm annoyed obese people of all ages get priority vaccine access before all essential workers. When most stayed home, we went into work everyday last March, April, May and everyday since putting ourselves & loved ones at risk. Vaccinate all essential workers. Then obese,” according to a report by Daily Mail. 

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He later removed the tweet and posted an apology that read, “Earlier today I Tweeted something insensitive and offensive.  I truly regret my words and want to apologize. I have deleted my tweet and ask that you accept my sincere apology.”

However, his apologetic words did not work in his favor as people slammed him online. A user commented, “Fatphobia is not something you just instantly get over. In fact, something I can tell by looking at YOUR body is that you think about fat constantly. You dread being fat. All you see is fat. Being fat is your biggest fear in life. You don’t need our forgiveness, you need therapy.”

Another wrote, “Typical fit, good looking, gay man that will scream and shout equity and inclusion all of June and then fat-shame and make fun of people who don’t fit societies expectations or who may experience body dysmorphia. Minneapolis does not miss you.” One user tweeted, “Shows that he isn’t actually apologetic, but just didn’t want to get sh*t for his tweet. He might have been 'essential' but that didn’t stop him from traveling all during the pandemic.... so why’s he crying now?”

“As a journalist of nearly 25 years who is also obese, I'm pretty appalled by your previous tweet. I haven't missed a day of work during the pandemic, in fact, I put in lots of extra hours to keep our readers informed, and I'm darn good at it,” Marianne Goodland, a senior journalist with Colorado Politics and the Colorado Springs Gazette, stated.

A user wrote, “Just whoa! This is very heartbreaking to hear that you put something like that out there. Shaming people for their body, when they ALREADY feel insecure. As someone who’s heavy and has body dysmorphia, I took it personally. You claim yourself as essential? You > everyone else.”

Another DC-based journalist, Chris Weidner, did not mince his words while condemning McCoy as he remarked, “There's always a social media post proving the hypocrisy of these people. @fox5dc anchor @blakemccoydc doesn't want obese people to get vaccine priority, but he lectures on body shaming in a thirstrap on Instagram. Just wow!”

“Here’s the thing, Blake, I would stand up for you in a heartbeat because I know what it feels like to be treated as less than. Today you decided that I was less than even though I worked 50-60 hour weeks during the shutdown. You showed your true self today,” another tweet read.

Meanwhile, another report stated that McCoy was actually working from home when the Covid-19 pandemic initially broke out. A WTTG’s spokesperson said the news anchor has been “suspended pending further review”.