On last night’s Claire Byrne Live, Operation Transformation panelist, Dr Ciara Kelly defended what many are now calling “fat shaming”, “cruel”, “insensitive” and “legitimised bullying”.
Social media users are up in arms as what they perceive to be blatant nastiness towards the participants of the show. The main crux of the matter is that the participants have to basically strip to their underwear, with no makeup for the ladies, and weighed and basically judged before the nation by Kelly and Co.
However, personal trainer, Darragh Hayes said:
“It’s unethical. The morals on the show are wrong. The so-called experts are shaming and embarrassing people and they’re giving the country the wrong knowledge. They’re embarrassing people in front of hundreds of thousands of people.”
Darragh told Ciara Kelly that she’s doing a bad job on the show, they don’t know what they’re talking about or doing. He said that he deals with suicidal people on a daily basis and that there can be many physiological ramifications as a result of being shamed and exposed in such a fashion.
Vicky Mooney, Patient Council Speaker said:
“Why would you put a woman in spandex for entertainment? If it’s not an issue, it wouldn’t be trending on social media.”
She continued by saying that “46% of young girls had a core issue of “low self esteem” and possible depression which is spiraling out of control.”
The correct way to help these people is not publicly shame them on television by stripping them down to their underwear.
Dr Eva Orsmond defended the show by claiming “people watch the show because the participants are shown like that”.
Social media users posted discouraging messages after the show.
One Dublin user said “Ciara Kelly is extremely judgmental, there is no need for people to appear on the show in the nip”.
Another claims the judges are bullies: “It’s not fair putting people on television and making them cry by making them strip and feel awful about themselves. It’s immoral and the judges are bullies.”