Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Woman Who Was Body-Shamed By Church Leader Offers Update After Viral Video Resurfaces

Woman Who Was Body-Shamed By Church Leader Offers Update After Viral Video Resurfaces
@SmarterCow/Reddit; @roo_jenna/Twitter

A two-year-old video of a teenage girl being fat shamed at her church has gone viral once again, after being re-posted on Reddit.

In June of 2019, a then 19-year-old Jenna Munger posted a video on Twitter she had recorded of Bonnie Sue Bihary, a delegate for the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church at the time, following her into the bathroom of the Swansboro United Methodist Church, telling her the jean shorts she had on were not appropriate.


Bihary then informed Munger of another "chubby girl" at the church wearing a dress of a more suitable length.

When Munger asked Bihary if she was calling her fat, Bihary's response was:

"Oh, you don't think you are?"

This led to a very heated exchange between Bihary and Munger, with the latter quickly succumbing to tears, and saying she would never return to the church owing to Bihary's hurtful words.

The upsetting video resurfaced again on the Reddit page @r/PublicFreakout

Warning: NSFW Language.


When the video was first published in 2019, Munger was met with endless support and love, while Bihary was condemned for her shocking and highly un-Christian behavior.

Two years later, Munger was met with an equal amount of support on Reddit, while Bihary received an equal amount of condemnation.

"Hearing the pain in that girls voice was heartbreaking. Regardless of anyone's weight, a scolding in a church bathroom doesn't sound like it would ever lead to a healthy discussion."- Eggsell.
"My heart broke for this poor girl. I grew up with a mom who told me my whole life I'd be so pretty if I lost weight. It causes issues, y'all".- reading_internets.
"When I start crying I hyperventilate and just can't speak. I'm amazed at how much she was able to speak up for herself..good for her..."-nanariv1
"The fact that she's in a position to influence and protect young girls is heartbreaking. Some people can't help but spread their misery to others."-HafWoods
"I honestly don't understand how anyone can hear someone in that state of crying and thinks it's ok. Genuinely felt sick from how you can hear how bad she was sobbing."- Slimesmore.

After becoming aware of all the support she received on Reddit after the video resurfaced, Munger took to Twitter to thank everyone for their words of love and encouragement, as well as give an update on her life.

Munger admitted that she stopped attending the Swansboro United Methodist Church following the incident, and that she's been taking time "discovering" herself.

She also disclosed that while she has not been in contact with Bihary, who subsequently resigned from all her volunteer positions at the church following the video being published, Bihary had made several attempts to contact Munger and her family.

"As for Bonnie Sue, I really don't know what's going on in her life."
"I will say she has been trying to push my family's buttons and did try to get close with them and interact with them the past few years."
"But I think she's finally gotten it, that we don't want anything to do with her."

Munger also revealed she had alerted the Swansboro United Methodist Church that the video had become viral again, and reminded viewers that they were nothing but supportive at the time of the incident, and Bihary's behavior was not at all reflective of them.

"I did let the church know that there's a second wave of people coming through."
"I just wanted to forewarn them because if anyone's trying to reach out to them I promise they did everything that they could do during that situation and they were absolutely amazing."

As was the case on Reddit, Munger found herself flooded with messages of love and encouragement on Twitter, commending her for her strength and dignity in moving on from such a potentially traumatizing incident.





Unfortunately, in addition to the love and support Munger received, there were those who took her update as justification for sending abusive messages to the church, including death threats, resulting in Munger posting yet another video update.

Captioning the video "An eye for an eye make the whole world go blind", Munger emphasized that she does not tolerate abusive behavior of any kind.

Even at the time of the incident, Munger posted a video urging people to stop harassing Bihary, in spite of all the pain she caused her, making it clear that she forgave Bihary and love was the only cure for hate.

She also confessed to being in a heightened emotional state at the time of the incident, following news that her 16-year-old cousin had just had a seizure as a result of a brain aneurysm.

Munger did make it clear, however, that it was important to "hold people accountable" for abusive behavior, which is why she recorded and shared the video in the first place.

"I just want people to take away that I am OK, and that this situation happens every day and not a lot of people have a chance to record that."

Munger disclosed that she attended therapy following the incident, which she admitted was traumatic for her and her family, but doing so has helped her be in a much better place than she was two years ago.

More from Trending

Cover of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

People's Response To Merriam-Webster's 2024 Word Of The Year Just Proved Their Point

Merriam-Webster dictionary nailed it with their 2024 Word of the Year selection that accurately defined the divisive reaction to the 2024 presidential election results.

The dictionary's account on X (formerly Twitter) declared this year's Word of the Year was, "Polarization," and joked:

Keep ReadingShow less
Nancy Mace
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Nancy Mace Rages After Nobody Will Print Her Transphobic Holiday Wrapping Paper Design

South Carolina Republican Representative Nancy Mace was called out after sharing a photo of her anti-trans wrapping paper design to lament that "no company" would print it due to its "offensive" nature.

Mace, who has courted significant controversy for her efforts to bar Sarah McBride, the first transgender member of Congress, from using the bathroom that corresponds with her gender identity, shared on social media that she attempted to create custom wrapping paper, seemingly intended for raising campaign funds.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eugenio Derbez; Selena Gomez
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images, Amy Sussman/Getty Images

'Coda' Star Apologizes After Selena Gomez's Classy Response To His 'Emilia Pérez' Criticism

Actor Eugenio Derbez walked back his harsh review of Selena Gomez's Spanish in the new musical crime comedy film Emilia Pérez after she responded with class to the tough criticism of not being a fluent speaker.

Gomez stars as Spanish-speaking character Jessi Del Monte, the wife of a cartel kingpin who undergoes gender-affirming surgery to start a new life as the titular Emilia Pérez.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Donald Trump
NBC

Trump Dragged After Claiming He 'Started Using' The Word 'Groceries' During The Election

President-elect Donald Trump was dragged after claiming he "started using" the word "groceries" during the election—before asking, "Who uses the word?"

Trump, in an interview with Meet the Press host Kristen Welker, emphasized the soaring grocery prices affecting millions of Americans as a pivotal factor in his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the race for the White House.

Keep ReadingShow less
man pointing up
Alex Sheldon on Unsplash

People Break Down Their 'I F*cking Knew It!' Experiences

Sometimes you feel like you just know something is true, even if you can't prove it.

You may find out you're completely wrong. People usually don't like to talk about or acknowledge when that happens.

Keep ReadingShow less