Egypt TV suspends ‘overweight’ female hosts

Egypt’s state TV has suspended eight female hosts over their weight, and has ordered them on a diet to restore “an appropriate appearance” before they are allowed on the air again, BBC News reported Wednesday, quoting local media sources.

The decision was issued by the Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU), itself led by a female former presenter, Safaa Hegazy.

An Egyptian women’s rights group, the Women’s Center for Guidance and Legal Awareness, decried the move, saying it was unconstitutional and calling it a form of violence against women.

A few of the suspended hosts have also spoken out. One, Khadija Khatab, called the ruling “humiliating and scandalous,” expressing outrage that she should be prevented from working and questioning the union’s authority over her weight.

Another said the situation had distressed the women’s families and should not have been dealt with so publicly.

The action has also sparked heated discourse on social media, with some condemning the suspension while others praised it.

The ERTU, meanwhile, has refused to back down, saying only that the women will continue to be paid during their time off.