Fat Trope Deep Dive Part 2: THE SAD

More Than Tracy Turnblad

This week, Abby and Luz talk about the sad fat person trope, unpacking why media is so obsessed with presenting fat people as pitiable walking tragedies. Some of the examples we discuss include Fat Thor, Bridgerton, Heathers, The Whale, and good old-fashioned freak shows.

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Sources we referenced in this episode:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/13/obese-depression-weight-psychology-judgment-fat-shaming

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4392295/

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/slim-sad-fat-happy-519034.html

https://www.mamamia.com.au/fat-girl-trope/

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WeightWoe

https://www.rogerebert.com/features/why-cant-sad-be-fat

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/pixar-fails-at-body-positivity-in-inside-out_b_7617432

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/notes-on-hollywood/the-whale-and-the-fat-suit-brendan-fraser-darren-aronofsky

Richardson, N, & Locks, A. (2014). 'Monstrosity, enfreakment, and disability.' Body Studies: the Basics. London: Taylor & Francis Group. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central. [3 April 2024]. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/suss/detail.action?docID=1753259.