Deborah Meaden has hit back at an ageist troll for judging her appearance.
On Sunday, the Dragon’s Den star received a tweet from a Twitter user who wrote: “How come Deborah Meaden looks so old if she’s always eating perfectly and has these big ideals on sustainability with ethical values.”
The former Strictly Come Dancing contestant was quick to respond to the online troll and criticised him for his antiquated views.
“Because it’s not a beauty contest and age happens,” Meaden replied.
“It’s not a desease and... another and…this is a Business programme not a beauty contest [sic].”
The 61-year-old’s scathing reply quickly earned the approval of her 365,000 followers with many joining the conversation to show their support.
“Looking ‘old’ is an insult mostly used against women because wisdom and experience aren’t considered ‘sexy’. Rock on, Deborah!” one person wrote.
Another added: “Bravo !!! Well said !!! Ageism is a terrible thing, and women especially bear the brunt.”
A third person commented: “So sick of men judging women on looks. It’s depressingly common still.”
This is not the first time Meaden has spoken out against online trolls.
In 2019, the businesswoman was involved in a campaign called “Don’t Feed the Trolls” aimed to stamp out those who use apps like Twitter to spread racist, sexist, xenophobic and other hateful messaging.
Meaden joined a host of celebrities, including TV presenter Gary Lineker and London mayor Sadiq Khan, in calling on social media users to mute, block and report any “abhorrent” and derogatory comments they receive.
At the time, Khan encouraged more people to play their part in tackling online hate, stating that there is “tremendous power” in the way users react to social media conversations.
“By ignoring, muting or blocking the trolls we can deny them the reactions they seek,” he said.
“Government and social media companies must up their game to ensure it is a safe space for people to exchange ideas.”
