Another March approaches, laden with a plethora of feminist agendas to address. Media and cinema shape public perceptions and collective understanding, serving as the framework for the world around us and the kaleidoscope of humanity. With that being said, tonight reflection I will delve into the fatphobia present in romantic comedies, a genre often tailored for women, the traditional target audience.
Long before America Ferrera became widely known for her monologue in the blockbuster film 'Barbie' (Greta Gerwig, 2023),
You might recognize her from early 2000s productions such as 'Real Women Have Curves' (Patricia Cardoso, 2002), 'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' (Ken Kwapis, 2005), and the television series 'Ugly Betty' (2006-2010).
However, Ferrera’s roles as Carmen and the titular protagonist, Betty, were a blend of remarkable and problematic. While she held power as a curvy diva in the slimming era of the 2000s, she also fell victim to tokenism as a Latina. Tokenism, while intended to support underrepresented groups, ultimately fails to bring about lasting change, and perpetuates stereotypes, making them victims of generalizations. Additionally, she fell into the transformation trap, much like the other beloved yet problematic films of the decade, such as 'She’s All That' (Robert Iscove, 1999) and 'The Princess Diaries' (Garry Marshall, 2001), as well as the classic 'Grease' (Randal Kleiser, 1978).
Ferrera was not alone in the slimming decade. Queen Latifah was another diva. However, both do not represent the whole diversity of being fat.
Ferrera’s characters paved the way for upcoming rom-com protagonists, such as Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) from 'Hairspray' (directed by Adam Shankman, 2007). Tracy's body is integral to her character, and she uses it as an empowering element. Another example is Natalie (Rebel Wilson) from 'Isn’t It Romantic?' (Todd Strauss-Schulson, 2019), a rom-com that parodies the genre by featuring an unconventional protagonist. Rebel Wilson has been both praised and criticized for her portrayal of plus-size characters since her debut in “Pitch Perfect” (Jason Moore, 2012). While some view her as a trailblazer for representation, others argue that her characters rely on stereotypes and reinforce fatphobic tropes.
This is still a recurring change in the media landscape due to the body positivity movement, a recent social movement that promotes a positive view of all bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities. It focuses on appreciating the functionality and health of the human body rather than its physical appearance. A notable international icon in this movement is the pop star Lizzo.
The female body has been consistently 'othered' throughout history, with each era facing changes in beauty standards and resulting frustrations. Movies play significant roles in shaping the representation of body image in media, often reinforcing fatphobic values through recurring jokes in sitcoms and offensive portrayals in films like 'Shallow Hal' (Bobby and Peter Farrelly, 2001) and 'Norbit' (Brian Robbins, 2007). These depictions can brainwash audiences and perpetuate harmful values, as seen in beloved franchises like the British series 'Bridget Jones’ Diaries' (Beeban Kidron and Sharon Maguire, 2001) and "Sierra Bridges is a Loser" (ian Samuels, 2018).
In movies, the term 'DUFF' was coined after the film of the same name directed by Ari Sandel in 2015. This term refers to the 'designated ugly fat friend,' or the less-attractive character whom hot people keep around to make themselves seem more desirable and approachable. This concept is hideous, offensive, and shallow. However, many times, diversity in body types is ignored, further reinforcing societal stigma against overweight individuals, and overlooking their beauty. Additionally, overweight individuals are sometimes portrayed as synonymous with carelessness and negligence, contributing to a lack of self-love and confidence, as well as exacerbating body image issues.
Overweight bodies in media can either play a leading role, empowering individuals, or not be a part of the plot driving or characterization at all. Controversial examples include characters portrayed by Amy Schumer, which often perpetuate stereotypes, and Melissa McCarthy, whose recent role as Ursula in the live-action adaptation of 'The Little Mermaid' underscores body shaming and fatphobia, a villain in contrast with the protagonist.
Hollywood (and beyond) is often fixated on bulimia stories, featuring them as central plotlines, subplots, or character arcs that touch upon the topic. However, it frequently overlooks the wide range of eating disorders and the high prevalence rates they encompass. Those struggling with eating disorders are humans too, with many stories to tell. It's important to move beyond harmful stereotypes and give voice to those whose experiences have been silenced or overlooked. They deserve a place in the genres.
Representation matters to this group of people, allowing them to see opportunities beyond their physical appearance and unhealthy thoughts reflected in the mirror. The world should acknowledge and appreciate their diverse experiences and contributions. Instead of ignoring their existence or limiting them to stereotypical roles, media should portray protagonists who are diverse not only in socio-geographic terms but also in terms of body type. Upcoming season in Bridgerton with a fat in the led, Penelope (Nicola Coughlan). However, it has been causing a buzz due to a creation of a PG version for a conservative audience, but this reinforces fatphobic values indicating them as sexually attractive or desirable. Fat women are often covered in sheets; or secondary roles as the lonely sidekicks or comical reliefs.
America Ferrera remains as the first curvy icon, not for nothing was honoured this year by the Latin trailblazer and EGOT on Oscars (Rita Moreno). In Ferrera's debut movie, she had an equally iconic scene, though it is not widely known in the mainstream. Also, worthwhile to highlight the recently popularity with Mariana Xavier's new movie on Netflix that addresses these fatphobia issues with a bit of humour and her relatableness to the audience.
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