An American newscaster has become the latest lightning rod in the “battle against bullies” after publicly dressing down a viewer who told her she was too fat.

But — to the dismay of many — there are still some who aren’t convinced she’s a genuine victim of bullying.

Jennifer Livingston, who reports the news for WKBT in La Crosse, Wis. spent almost four minutes on her news show Tuesday evening reacting to comments of a Kenneth W. Krause who — among other “insults” called her an unsuitable “example for this community’s young people, girls in particular.”

“I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition hasn’t improved for many years,” he said an email. . “Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain. I leave you this note hoping that you’ll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.”

She gave the man a good tongue lashing on air calling it a “personal attack” and said simply wanted to call him out while sending the message that bullying most stop across the board.

She has a lot of support, but it’s the comments indicating she perhaps overreacted that are getting traction.

Journalist Jenna Goudreau wrote Wednesday in Forbes: “While she’s certainly correct her weight does not impact her ability to report the news, and that it’s not her responsibility to conform to a size that would be “good” for the community . . . I’d deem this (incident) relatively tame.”

Stephanie Hanes of the Christian Science Monitor wrote: “Here’s the thing folks. I’m just going to come out and say it, Krause’s letter? Not bullying.

“Obnoxious, sure . . . unacceptable . . . sexist . . . but one rude email does not a bullying act make.”

But Catherine Moffat, manager of counselling services at Family Service Toronto, says make no mistake: it’s bullying.

“These comments are unwelcome and should be known to be unwelcome,” she says. “She wasn’t asking for advice or feedback . . . it’s unwanted commentary.”

Moffat says our provincial laws are clear and that if it happened here, her workplace would be sitting down putting together plans to help her or any other employee affected by such an attack.

She also said it was a positive move for Livingston to come to out in public and address it in the way she did.

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“By pointing it out and where it comes from helps stop it,” she said. “It just continues if it isn’t addressed.”

Private counsellor Betty Stockley, who has been practising in Toronto for 30 years and has helped people who have been bullied, agrees with Moffat. She calling the viewer’s remarks unsolicited advice — an issue Livingston is already quite aware of and, perhaps, something that makes her unhappy.