Pregnant Sports Reporter To Body Shamer: 'Kiss My Big Achey Butt'

Being an on-the-field or on-the-court sports reporter is no easy task. There are always a lot of people around jockeying for space, there's the constant chance of being slammed into accidentally by an athlete, and there are many hours of standing on your feet or walking the length of a football field back and forth. Well not only does Molly McGrath endure all of that as part of her job with ESPN, but lately, she's been doing it while pregnant. And while she can tolerate everything her job throws at her, one thing she won't put up with is body shaming.

The 31-year-old wrote about it on Instagram, explaining how after spending six hours straight standing in the rain covering a game, only to get three hours of sleep due to a last second flight change, she, for the first time, allowed a "cruel troll tweet about the changes of [her] pregnant body" get to her.

She then went on to school the hater, writing:

"Here's the thing: being pregnant is hard, especially as I enter my third trimester. My feet swell and hurt like I’ve never imagined and my back constantly aches. Not to mention the slew of other symptoms like nausea, heartburn, and exhaustion. I am making a HUMAN LIFE! The baby I'm carrying around could live outside of my body right now, and my strong ass body made that baby from scratch.
Completely separately, the job of a sideline reporter is also hard with the travel, prep, hustle to get information, and reality that we never get into a broadcast as much as we could have contributed. But you know what, I wouldn't change ANY of my circumstances in a second. I feel so incredibly lucky to have a job that I’m so passionate about, it makes me forget that a little human is kicking my ribs.
I am proud to be a pregnant woman working full-time and I am proud that the magnitude of creating a human life has not, and will not, slow me down."

McGrath ended her post stating, "Women are freaking incredible and powerful and anyone who doesn’t see that can kiss my big achey butt. 👊 "

Among the hundreds of fans who responded in support of McGrath were fellow sports reporters, like ESPN's Jen Lada, who commented, "Speaking to my soul gf," and Fox Sports reporter Lesley McCaslin, who noted how when she was pregnant, she would throw up on planes and nearly pass out on her feet, but added, "It's so worth it, but so challenging. I still look back and wonder how I did it... Because women are amazing."

McGrath's first child is due early next year.

Photo: Getty Images


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