Meghan McCain Has One Question For Critics 'Triggered' By Her Body

Meghan McCain made headlines in July 2021 when she announced that she would be leaving her role as co-host of the talk show "The View" after four years, per Variety. In an audio memoir, entitled "Bad Republican," the daughter of late Republican Sen. John McCain explained the circumstances surrounding her departure. Despite having two years left on her contract, McCain says she "had to get out," as she took issue with the way she was treated when she returned from maternity leave after giving birth to her daughter, Liberty, in September 2020. The popular conservative voice on "The View" revealed that she dealt with postpartum anxiety that led to breakdowns once she returned to filming. She also experienced "direct and purposeful hostility" from her co-hosts, including Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar, during her time on the show. Combined with what she described as a "toxic work environment," Meghan knew it was time to leave.

As a public figure, Meghan has had to deal with a host of unpleasant and toxic experiences, particularly around body shaming. Over the years, many haters have criticized the talk-show host for her size. In one recent incident, political commentator Candance Owens called Meghan "clinically obese" on Twitter in response to Meghan criticizing Owens for her stance on vaccines. Meghan is not one to back down from confrontation and finds herself having to constantly defend herself from such comments. Thus, in a Twitter post earlier this week, Meghan asked her haters an important question.

To those who feel the need to criticize Meghan McCain's body shape and size, she asked: "But is there any thought of how it can impact impressionable young women and fans?" The former talk-show host posed this question in a since-deleted tweet on January 5, in which she added, "Teenage girls are literally killing themselves over our toxic culture towards women bodies" (via People). She is less concerned about her own feelings around people calling her "obese" and doing "comedic sketches" regarding her body and more worried about the "message it sends to [teenage girls]." McCain believes that the pressure on women to look a certain way "is A CRISIS killing American women, literally."

This isn't the first time the talk-show host has spoken out about body shaming. In 2019, an internet troll left a since-deleted comment on one of McCain's tweets, which read, "How many pounds ago was that profile picture? Jenny Craig, NutriSystem or Weight Watchers (WW) would endorse you without hesitation" (via USA Today). McCain called out the hater for harassing her in a new post, adding that comments like those "can lead women to eating disorders." Fortunately, the "Outnumbered" star hasn't experienced an eating disorder firsthand, but she hopes her example will help those who have. "I never dieted to get a man or a job and some how landed my dream both," she pointed out in her post.

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).