An ABC meteorologist alleged she was fired from her job for not straightening her hair and for being a “size 12” rather than a “size two”.
Tabitha Bartoe, 22, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was thrilled when she landed her dream role as weekend morning weathercaster for ABC affiliate WATE 6 On Your Side in February.
But just four months later she announced she was no longer working for the publication – and she hinted that she had been fired because of her “appearance”.
In a post shared to her Twitter account earlier this week, Tabitha revealed her time at WATE was “over” – while reminding people that “everyone is beautiful in their own way” and encouraging her followers to embrace their “natural “. ‘ beauty.
An ABC meteorologist alleged she was fired from her job for not straightening her hair and for being a “size 12” rather than a “size two”.
Tabitha Bartoe, 22, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was thrilled when she landed her dream role as the weekend morning weather anchor for ABC affiliate WATE 6 On Your Side in February.
But just four months later she announced she was no longer working for the publication – and she hinted that she had been fired because of her “appearance”.
In a post shared on her Twitter account earlier this week, Tabitha revealed her time at WATE was “over” – while encouraging her followers to embrace their “natural” beauty.
She said looks “shouldn’t play a huge part in your job” and insisted that curly hair is just as “professional” as it is straight.
She said looks “shouldn’t play a huge part in your job” and insisted that curly hair is just as “professional” as it is straight.
“When I went to college I was told that you will hear bad things about yourself and you should ignore it,” she began in the lengthy note.
“I hope that in the future we all learn to appreciate and accept people for who they are, for how they look and for their style.
“Everyone is beautiful and professional in their own way. It doesn’t matter if you have curly hair, or if you’re not a size 2 but a size 12.
“You matter, and people’s comments should not disappoint you. It shouldn’t play a big role in your work.
“If you have natural curls, embrace them and be proud of your natural hair. It’s professional.
Tabitha, who got her bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University and her master’s degree from the University of North Dakota, said it was her “first job outside of college” and that she was excited about it. “extremely excited”.
“I so appreciate the Storm team, the digital producers, the rest of the aerial talent and everyone in the control room,” she continued.
Tabitha (seen with her co-stars) explained that it was her ‘first job after college’ and she was ‘extremely excited’ about it
“I appreciate Team Storm so much,” she continued. “They are the ones who kept the morale and the positive things going, even if the circumstances with the management were not good”
“They were the ones who kept the spirits and things positive, even though the circumstances with the management weren’t good.”
The meteorologist concluded with a quote from Frank Sinatra, writing, “The best is yet to come. I can’t wait to share my next adventure with you.
DailyMail.com has contacted ABC’s WATE 6 On Your Side for comment.
Tabitha’s heartbreaking post quickly caught on online, earning over 10,000 views and prompting a slew of responses from people who came to her defense.
NY1 anchor Kristen Shaughnessy reposted it and added, “Not a great look @6News. Did you fire Tabitha because she refused to straighten her hair? Did you think because she’s young, would she not speak?
Tabitha’s heartbreaking post quickly caught on online, earning over 10,000 views and prompting a slew of responses from people who came to her defense.
“It’s so sad to see women treated like this to their natural hair and looks,” someone else wrote.
“@6News made a very, very bad decision,” read a third tweet, while a fourth said, “So sorry to hear you are no longer on WATE.”
‘Please don’t give up if this is your dream. You are a real pleasure to watch and a shining light in the world.
Another person added: “I’m sorry to hear this. It’s their loss and another’s gain. Looking forward to hearing about your next adventure.
“Absolute crap from your employer,” another user said. “You have naturally curly hair that accentuates your facial features.”