Young Boy Hurls Vulgar Slur At Female Reporter During Live Shoot, Father Laughs And Walks Away — Watch Video

A news reporter in Canada was shocked when a young boy shouted an offensive phrase at her during a live news shoot. The reporter, Michelle Mackey, works for CityNews Toronto and was filming a positive story at the time.

The boy, who looked about eight or nine years old, shouted a phrase that included strong and inappropriate language. His father, who was with him, laughed and walked away instead of stopping the boy.

Mackey later posted a censored video of the incident on Instagram. She said it was one of the most "alarming things" she had ever seen as a reporter. She believes that such behaviour encourages disrespect, especially towards women, and said she was disappointed that it still happens today.

On Instagram, she wrote, "This was one of the most alarming things I've witnessed as a news reporter. What looked to be an 8 or 9-year-old boy yelled this at me, with his father by his side. They proceeded to laugh and walk away. Whether this is yelled at a man or woman, it normalises misogyny. I'm sharing this to show we have a long way to go. I thought this horrible trend was over."

Speaking to Today, Mackey said she recognised the phrase. It first became popular in 2014 through videos made by filmmaker John Cain. Since then, similar incidents have taken place where female reporters were harassed during live news coverage.

Mackey said, "I haven't heard the phrase in a really long time. When I looked over and saw the boy say it, I was shocked and disturbed. He was with either his dad or grandfather, and both of them laughed. They seemed to think it was funny."

She also tried to speak to them afterwards. "I waved them back because I wanted to ask if they could say that again while looking me in the eye as a human being. But they didn't return. They just laughed, gave a thumbs up, and walked away."

Mackey added that the phrase felt very violating and made her feel deeply uncomfortable. She said the shock later turned into anger.

Although the moment was upsetting, Mackey shared that her colleagues at work supported her. Their support gave her the courage to speak out. She said she doesn't blame the child, as he may not have fully understood what he was saying. However, she felt the adult should have corrected the behaviour instead of encouraging it.

Mackey hopes that by sharing her experience, more people will understand why this kind of behaviour should never be taken lightly.