Female weather presenters have revealed sexist stereotypes and comments they say “come with the role”. From being sent sex toys in the post to personal comments about their weight from strangers in the street, meteorologists have laid bare some of the worst parts of the profession as a woman.
Sam Fraser has worked for BBC South Today since 2012 and has been outspoken about some of the misogynistic treatment that she’s been subjected to for a Radio 4 segment called Scorchio! The Story of a Weather Girl. “I wanted to be taken seriously,” she told MailOnline.
“After all the time pouring over pressure charts and learning about climate subtypes, heck I even built a home weather station, I kind of assumed I would be.
“But within a fortnight of appearing on screen my a*** had its own online fan club and had featured on a YouTube channel called Babes of Britain.”
Fellow BBC presenter Kawser Quamer believes that the treatment of women in the profession is putting others off from embarking on the career.
She said: “I hope to be seen as a trusted, respected broadcaster, so when you see yourself objectified and when you hear about these websites, when you are judged on your looks alone when you worked really hard to get there, it is difficult.”
She added that because they are “invited into people’s homes” that “there is a sense of over familiarity, as if they can say anything and it’s fine.”
Sian Lloyd is perhaps one of the most well known ITV presenters in the profession and she also spoke on the 30 minute Radio 4 segment – and says the term “weather girl” is degrading.
She said: “Male adults are never called weather – boys they are always called men – which kind of implies we are not fully grown up, we are not as authoritative as men and maybe do not have the credibility or confidence, this is the perception, when of course we do.”
Qualifications matter when it comes to presenting the weather – but some feel that meteorology credentials can be swept aside if your face fits.
BBC weather presenter Sara Thornton told Business Insider last year: “Normally, they’ve been a journalist or a meteorologist, but sometimes, you get people who are neither.
“They were just deemed attractive enough to be on TV.”
