Full Figured Women On TV (My daily Rant)

Rockontoothpicks

While I know every woman on this site is out to change their body image or perhaps tone up a part of their body I just want to say please don't be offended by what I am about to say. I promise you it is nothing negative towards you.
I am and always have been attracted to women with curves rather they be curvy, voluptuous, full figured or plus sized. My lovely girlfriend would be beautiful at any weight (She is just trying to become more beautiful in her own eyes by losing weight along with me)
My complaint is on television there is a weird absence and double standard when it comes to full figured women. When I wake up in the morning and turn on my local news channel the two lead anchors are chunky and overweight (one would be considered obese) while the two lady co anchors are so skinny you could see their rib cage through their clothes.
On sitcoms big guys always have skinny wives (King Of Queens, According To Jim, and so one) I mean every time there is a plus size female character her husband is just as big (Rosanne, Mike & Molly) or in the case of Drop Dead Diva the full figured character is really a skinny model who dies and is returned to life stuck in the body of a big girl (Ouch)
Is it too much to ask for more characters who waist size is more than that of my 10 year old daughter? I am not saying I want more women on TV to be a certain size but it wouldn't hurt to have a wee bit more diversity. Women can be shown as attractive and beautiful even if they are not size zeroes right?
I guess I rambled on too much but I was just curious if anyone else feels the same way or am I just being a nut who is grumpy because I am on a diet lol

serendipity22

Yeah, it bugs me too. I remember noticing that even the extras on some TV shows are really skinny woman. It looks unrealistic to not have any normal sized or heavy women at all. The skinny wife, fat husband sitcom thing is annoying.

tmarie2715

While I know every woman on this site is out to change their body image or perhaps tone up a part of their body I just want to say please don't be offended by what I am about to say. I promise you it is nothing negative towards you.
I am and always have been attracted to women with curves rather they be curvy, voluptuous, full figured or plus sized. My lovely girlfriend would be beautiful at any weight (She is just trying to become more beautiful in her own eyes by losing weight along with me)
My complaint is on television there is a weird absence and double standard when it comes to full figured women. When I wake up in the morning and turn on my local news channel the two lead anchors are chunky and overweight (one would be considered obese) while the two lady co anchors are so skinny you could see their rib cage through their clothes.
On sitcoms big guys always have skinny wives (King Of Queens, According To Jim, and so one) I mean every time there is a plus size female character her husband is just as big (Rosanne, Mike & Molly) or in the case of Plus Size Diva the full figured character is really a skinny model who dies and is returned to life stuck in the body of a big girl (Ouch)
Is it too much to ask for more characters who waist size is more than that of my 10 year old daughter? I am not saying I want more women on TV to be a certain size but it wouldn't hurt to have a wee bit more diversity. Women can be shown as attractive and beautiful even if they are not size zeroes right?
I guess I rambled on too much but I was just curious if anyone else feels the same way or am I just being a nut who is grumpy because I am on a diet lol

Drop Dead Diva. It is called DROP DEAD DIVA. Hahahaha.

Rockontoothpicks

My bad. LOL I watch the show too....

infamousmk

Unfortunately, women drive the industry. We're our own worst enemies and biggest critics. I don't know the actual psychology (psych majors, were are you??!), but fashion magazines, commercials, and sitcoms wouldn't feature [only] skinny women if the average American woman would stop criticising her fellow female.

capaxinfiniti

On sitcoms big guys always have skinny wives (King Of Queens, According To Jim, and so one) I mean every time there is a plus size female character her husband is just as big (Rosanne, Mike & Molly)

I never noticed that until you pointed that out. But you're right. I'm curious to know why that's going on as well.

1a1a

From a girl's perspective, yep, this bugs me a lot, to the point of anger sometimes. Just once, Once can we please have a protagonist with a bit of chub, doesn't have to be heaps, (although that would be fine too), just sick of only ever seeing healthy BMI girls on the telly,

Jenlwb

That sitcom thing really bugs me too. So many 'fat funny husband' and 'skinny shrewish wife' formulaic shows, unfunny, unoriginal, unwatchable.

And I'm grateful for the fact that various men appreciate women of various sizes. And even some who love us regardless!

infamousmk

While we're at it, why are so many men portrayed as complete idiots? King of Queens is a good example ... The husband couldn't make it a day without his 'hot wife' ... why? It's like Homer Simpson in the flesh ... why can't there be more shows that portray a couple that respects each others' strengths and weaknesses, and uses them to be awesome, good people??

I don't watch a lot of television because I think the average prime time television show sucks *kitten*.

LittleMissDoll

in the case of Drop Dead Diva (which i LOVE) she actually doesnt mind being bigger. Her friend tries really hard to help her lose the weight after she first gets stuck in that body but she decides, you know what, i have more important things to worry about than something silly like my weight! and shes confident and gorgeous and happy (for the most part) and is still intimate with men in her new body. I find that show actually very empowering in the sense of bigger women

LittleMissDoll

While we're at it, why are so many men portrayed as complete idiots? King of Queens is a good example ... The husband couldn't make it a day without his 'hot wife' ... why? It's like Homer Simpson in the flesh ... why can't there be more shows that portray a couple that respects each others' strengths and weaknesses, and uses them to be awesome, good people??

I don't watch a lot of television because I think the average prime time television show sucks *kitten*.

easy answer, that would be boring to watch.

capaxinfiniti

While we're at it, why are so many men portrayed as complete idiots? King of Queens is a good example ... The husband couldn't make it a day without his 'hot wife' ... why? It's like Homer Simpson in the flesh ... why can't there be more shows that portray a couple that respects each others' strengths and weaknesses, and uses them to be awesome, good people??

I don't watch a lot of television because I think the average prime time television show sucks *kitten*.

That's in commercials too. Where the husband is some bumbling, mouth-breathing idiot. For example the Hanes Sock commercial or the commercial that was talking about wireless internet (I forget the name)

It's so stupid.

Rockontoothpicks

I love Jane (or should I say Deb) I was just pointing out the fact that there is a pattern.... If my girlfriend thought I was dissing Diva...I would be the one dropping dead lol

amysj303

Ok but what about shows where thin attractive women are treated like they are fat and ugly? I am thinking of Liz Lemon on 30 Rock and Dee on Always Sunny in Philidelphia. It's weird.

kgillikin

I dont know if you watched Reba but Barbra Jean started out as a big girl. In the end when she lost all of her weight her and her husband split up. He liked her better like she was I believe.

DominoFrost

This is why I love Mad Men. Christina Hendricks' character is a full figured woman, men find her hot, she knows she's hot, and it's just really nice to see once in a while.

infamousmk

While we're at it, why are so many men portrayed as complete idiots? King of Queens is a good example ... The husband couldn't make it a day without his 'hot wife' ... why? It's like Homer Simpson in the flesh ... why can't there be more shows that portray a couple that respects each others' strengths and weaknesses, and uses them to be awesome, good people??

I don't watch a lot of television because I think the average prime time television show sucks *kitten*.

easy answer, that would be boring to watch.

So our options are boring or negative toward men? ... there's a reason I only watch the History channel ...

forthefab5

I can think of one - Tisha Campbell-Martin from My Wife and Kids - she is beautiful and curvy!

infamousmk

Ok but what about shows where thin attractive women are treated like they are fat and ugly? I am thinking of Liz Lemon on 30 Rock and Dee on Always Sunny in Philidelphia. It's weird.

IMO women perpetuate the stereotype that even if you're hot and/or smart, you're going to be put down for one thing or another.

LilBee82

Drop Dead Diva

I just started watching that show from the beginning, and one episode I watched I LAUGHED. I work in a plus size clothing store, and when the character said she was a size 16, I just had to go PFFFFFFTTTTT! And then there was a judge that said she was a size 16. Now compare those two characters, and I would say Miss Drop Dead Diva, is actually an 18 or 20.

That pissed me off too. They lied about the size. Shows need to be MORE realistic.

JuniperT

It's always bothered me, even more so now that my son is preteen and noticing these things and now I have a daughter. I always want my kids to know people are beautiful inside and out, no matter how they appear. But unfortuantly it get's shoved down our throats, to be beautiful you have to have perfect skin, great boobs, ribs showing and a waist that's smaller then the average child's. I'm not saying don't be healthy, but there are all kinds of beautiful and that is the message that should be shared more often.

LittleMissDoll

While we're at it, why are so many men portrayed as complete idiots? King of Queens is a good example ... The husband couldn't make it a day without his 'hot wife' ... why? It's like Homer Simpson in the flesh ... why can't there be more shows that portray a couple that respects each others' strengths and weaknesses, and uses them to be awesome, good people??

I don't watch a lot of television because I think the average prime time television show sucks *kitten*.

easy answer, that would be boring to watch.

So our options are boring or negative toward men? ... there's a reason I only watch the History channel ...

i dont just mean negativity towards men, theres lots of shows negative towards women as well, or just downright offensive, or stupid beyond comprehension, or theres the dramas, im just saything that if you take a confident, self respecting couple that have a wonderful relationship and accomplish their goals together, it has the potential to make boring tv. i dont really understand how you find the history channel any more stimulating, but to each their own i guess

LittleMissDoll

Drop Dead Diva

I just started watching that show from the beginning, and one episode I watched I LAUGHED. I work in a plus size clothing store, and when the character said she was a size 16, I just had to go PFFFFFFTTTTT! And then there was a judge that said she was a size 16. Now compare those two characters, and I would say Miss Drop Dead Diva, is actually an 18 or 20.

That pissed me off too. They lied about the size. Shows need to be MORE realistic.

would it matter where the shows based/filmed? their sizes could be a bit different

Showgirlbody

Unfortunately, the media doesn't represent all people. And the writers of television don't seem to think that a full figured person can be or is sexy (or god forbid has sex). Plus sized people are usually comic relief and not represented as regular people where there is no mention of their weight. It always has to be part of a punchline instead of it just being a character where their weight is a non-issue. Most people don't say "this is my fat friend Jane" , Jane is just Jane. But on TV, the Janes don't exist unless they are there to prop up the skinny white woman under 30. Shrug. It would be nice if television showed a wider range of people, but I guess that would ruin the fantasy. The ideals of beauty won't change if we keep perpetuating the myth that we all do or should look like the 2% of the population that would get cast on television. We keep buying and watching and trying to live up to the celebrity image. I think there are some shows that are helping with diversity, "The Office", "Community" come to mind. They don't show hot sexy plus sized women but they do show average people of different shapes and ethnicities which is a step in the right direction.

tanias001

Skinny people seem to see overweight/big people as funny.
But what they don't know or don't see is that we are hurting on the inside, yes we may laugh and joke about and that's to keep ourselves happy. We can laugh and joke with every one else, I have provrn this to myself many times over. I have been fat, i have been thin many times over through out my life and yes i have laughed and joked about but to be totaly honest i was hurting and hated myself on te inside.
I went through a lot of things that i wuoldn't wish on my worst enemy when i was growing up and in my mind this is what lead to my weight issues. The biggest one of all was my mother telling me at every chance she had or when ever her mouth wasn't shoved full with food not only off her plate but off my father's at how fat i was. I would eat less and she would eat more ( as you see i had a very supportive mother). When i got married i was 64 kilos's ( sorry no idea what that is in pounds) the first thing she told me was lose weight he will leave you before you get married. These words still ring in my ears and i have now been married for 25 years ( so i am happy to have proved her very wrong there). i still have my hang ups now and i doubt that they will ever fully go away hurtful words and actions tend to stay with you a hell of a long time.
It seems to be ok to have the fat jolly male on tv but having a non stereo typical fattish female on tv seems so wrong and out of place. Where have all the standards gone fat thin or different every one should be given a fair go on their merits and not be judged for their weight issues there are many reasons behind being over weight or being pencil thin.
We are who we are and we are all unique and should be looked upon in the way we want to be looked upon as the loving and caring people we are on the inside.

Here endith my rant..lol.

aippolito1

AMEN. lol And I LOVE Drop Dead Diva, lol.

infamousmk

While we're at it, why are so many men portrayed as complete idiots? King of Queens is a good example ... The husband couldn't make it a day without his 'hot wife' ... why? It's like Homer Simpson in the flesh ... why can't there be more shows that portray a couple that respects each others' strengths and weaknesses, and uses them to be awesome, good people??

I don't watch a lot of television because I think the average prime time television show sucks *kitten*.

easy answer, that would be boring to watch.

So our options are boring or negative toward men? ... there's a reason I only watch the History channel ...

i dont just mean negativity towards men, theres lots of shows negative towards women as well, or just downright offensive, or stupid beyond comprehension, or theres the dramas, im just saything that if you take a confident, self respecting couple that have a wonderful relationship and accomplish their goals together, it has the potential to make boring tv. i dont really understand how you find the history channel any more stimulating, but to each their own i guess

I don't understand how anyone could find a show entertaining that was derogatory toward anyone, really. Men, women, children, guidos, teen moms ... why does everyone want to see the struggles and suffering of others?

capaxinfiniti

Okay! I have a theory! It may be completely ridiculous, but it's a thought why these pairings occur.

The shows where the fat husband has the skinny wife. I think it's one of those stereotypical "average Joe gets a hot girlfriend/wife" and it allows "fat jokes" to be made (usually if it was made towards a woman they would be very degrading and women would be offended, just look at how the wife from King of Queens acts) and allows us to identify who we should be most laughing at (Homer Simpson, Doug, Peter Griffin) and who should be the serious one (Marge, Carrie, Lois)

I think with both the fat wife and husband (I mostly think of Tyler Perry's House of Payne) it allows a sort of equality among the spouses. They can poke fun at each other's weight, and they are most of the time a happy couple. They have much more in common with each other.

I could be wrong, and this could've been completely stupid. But it was just an idea of mine. :ohwell:

LilBee82

Hmmm I dunno. I would think Canada/USA are pretty close if not maybe exact, where say UK, totally different. I love the show and I love that it's a plus sized female lead char, but it could be a bit misleading to those that see, " Oh so THAT is what a size 16 is supposed to look like"

Just like how we see models in magazines and on the runways. I am glad that there is starting to be more advertising of plus size.

Mcgrawhaha

agreed! my husband always says, "only a dog likes a bag of bones" lol... he is not attracted to super skinny, he likes curves! lucky for him, i dont want to be skinny...lol, i just want to be normal... or, average! after having 5 children, there is no need to be mistaken as a 12 year old boy from behind, rather id like to look like a healthy curvy young wife and mother! so, i agree with you! id like to see more size 12/14 on the tv... after all... the average american woman is not a size 1!!!

Pebble321

I know where you are coming from, I would like to see more "real" sized women on TV. And I don't mean shows that go to great pains to emphasize the "I'm big and I'm beautiful, dammit" message..... just shows where women are a healthy weight, or overweight, but without it being the focal point of the show.

I regularly get annoyed with my husband who always points out how BIG one of the newsreaders on breakfast TV is. I think she's gorgeous and while she probably is overweight, I don't think it's something that needs to be pointed out. She's there to do a job, just like the other people on the show and her size shouldn't and doesn't affect her ability to read the news or sit on the couch and crack jokes with the male host.