Tropes That Annoy Me: Hypergendered Fat
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Think about all the overweight people represented in our media. Now think about all the overweight main characters. What do they have in common?
Well, if they're not Jack Black, who can actually get away with the Overweight Antihero, then they are excruciatingly well-dressed. Neat as the proverbial pin.
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@Bard2dbone - Penelope was the only one I could think of off the top of my head because having a fat heroine is so firkin rare that I could not immediately dredge up other examples.
And since we're on about personal wardrobe choices... We don't really know that she has much choice in the matter. I've seen the options for plus-sized ladies and it's pretty much "sack" or "shapewear". Earth Mother or Mae West. Those are your choices. Her choice of Manic Pixie Pastel Geek is simultaneously mould-breaking and adhering to the aggressively feminine.
But you are totally correct about fat people in media being removed from sexuality. Fat people are allowed to exist, sure, but they aren't allowed to have sex scenes or a consistent romantic relationship. That would be "glorifying obesity" 9_9
To be fat in the Media is to either be Polished to Perfection or the Token Slob. It's not real, but it influences so many people who are also heavy. They can't be seen in comfortable clothes or they'll be mocked as a fat slob. They have to dress up in order to be accepted as human.
I could go on about this. At length. If I have time, I might pop over to my Wordpress and do some opinion pieces.
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Your example of Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds is either excellent or wrong, depending on your viewpoint. The reason I say this is that one of may favorite things about Kirsten Vangsness (aside from being born on my birthday) is that her character's wardrobe is HER PERSONAL wardrobe. way back in the first season, before she became a full cast member, she had some kind of conflict with the producers because the real FBI would absolutely NOT let an employee get away with several of her clothing choices. They decided that, with her character being the Goddess of the computer world, that she'd be allowed more leeway than in real life. So she didn't know what to wear and just came in in her regular (for her) clothes. The show people said "Perfect!"
On the other side of the equation, I have noticed a few guys on TV who kind of look like me. My sister thought it was hilarious that 'Uncle Phil' from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air looked a lot like me, even though I'm an exceedingly pale white guy, and he was a medium-light black guy. I suspect it was the bald head, short beard, and general physical similarity she was pointing out. I've also noticed that TV guys who look like me are either 'married for decades - so don't think about them still doing it' or 'hopelessly, desperately alone till shortly after the end of the universe'. As you might guess, this bothers me. Sadly in real life, I'm both. I was happily married for twenty two years. And I've been morosely widowered for two and a half. Unfortunately, just like on TV, it's hard to get anyone to see any appeal in a 53 year old large bald guy as a romantic possibility.
