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A game show where two families compete for a cash prize by trying to find the most popular answers to a variety of questions about a month ago, one of my sisters tagged me in a video she recorded of Family Feud. In the episode she recorded, host and comedian Steve Harvey asks the contestants to resolve a rather loaded statement: “Name reasons a lady might opt to be by having a chubby or fat man. ”
The contestants’ answers end up supplying a round that is humorous the minds regarding the contestants, Steve Harvey, and presumably the viewers.
But my sister did share that is n’t movie on her behalf Facebook web web page to garner laughs from her relatives and buddies. It absolutely was quite contrary: my cousin had been aggravated at the round’s subject plus the responses provided. My sis penned:
“This really bothers me personally! This is the reason people think you need to be skinny/fit become stunning, to be wanted, to be liked, and also to deserve anything…this is certainly not OKAY! ”
My sister tagged me personally in this article knowing my history in fat studies and sexuality studies (so when a fat person that is masculine, knowing I would personally concur along with her frustrations.
Image description: A screenshot of this Family Feud game board aided by the six most well known responses: “Fatty got cash” (34 away from 100 individuals surveyed), “She’s fat/digs food” (23/100), “She’ll look better” (12/100), “She’s in love” (9/100), “He’s warm/cuddly” (6/100), and “He won’t cheat” (4/100). The single thing this round that is particular of Feud does correctly is summarize many of the unfortunate fables our society perpetuates about fat individuals — specifically, fat guys — and relationships.
But, calling down myths that are fatphobic clearly perhaps perhaps not the game’s aim. Rather it perpetuated body terrorism against fat figures to get cheap laughs. Let’s proceed through each one of the top six many popular responses in order to better understand how they’re inaccurate and bad for guys of size.
1. “Fatty Got Money! ”: Fat Men Are Only Valuable With Their Cash or Power
The misconception: the truth that this misconception is one of popular for the six offered responses — 34 for the 100 individuals initially surveyed provided this or a similarly-worded answer — is troubling by itself. This misconception is one thing we see throughout US culture, whether or not it’s in films, politics, or popular tradition.
In cases where a classically appealing individual of any sex has been a fat guy, the overall presumption is the fact that this fat guy really needs money or some type of energy. Why else would someone who could presumably get with anybody they wanted decide to get with a disgusting man that is fat right?
This sort of idea is incredibly damaging for a great deal of fat guys, placing almost all their value as individuals in to the cash or energy they could or might not have.
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The reality: While you will find, needless to say, some individuals who only seek relationships for cash or energy 
, the fact is that frequently, individuals will decide to get by having a fat guy because they really desire to be with him. This misconception is significantly less often put on thin or “fit” guys, unless of program that individual is well known to possess cash or energy. However it’s much easier for individuals to comprehend two thin or usually appealing individuals being together because they’re drawn to one another than each time a thin or person that is traditionally attractive become having a fat guy for any other less superficial reasons.
2. “She’s Fat/Digs Food”: Fat People Just Like Other Fat Individuals
The myth: Using this misconception, we come across just how individuals try to just just take people’s that are away fat. It signifies that fat individuals will only be in a position to have relationships along with other fat individuals, whether it’s since they just find other fat individuals attractive or that’s all they could “get”, within the many brutal of terms.
Slipped into this misconception is just an associated fatphobic misconception: that most fat individuals love for eating plenty of food, and all sorts of individuals who like to eat foodstuffs are fat.
The reality: place clearly, the presumption that fat individuals will only seek relationships along with other fat individuals is false. Humans — fat, thin, plus in between — could be and sometimes are interested in a wide selection of individuals of all size and shapes. To assume that fat people will just ever be with fat individuals are at ab muscles least ignorant, if you don’t entirely fatphobic and sizeist.
And also as when it comes to proven fact that fatness is inherently correlated with (over)eating — that is another misconception too.
3. “She’ll Look Better”: Fat Guys Are Ugly
The misconception: All fat guys, relating to this worldview, are inherently less appealing than any partner they might ever have. Such men’s lovers would just utilize them to show up more desirable in comparison. This misconception makes the assumption that, as stated above, no body could conceivably maintain a relationship with a fat guy because they’re actually interested in him. Fat folks are simply tools to make their (presumably non-fat) partners feel more desirable.
The reality: in the same way many people might pursue a fat guy for cash or energy, some people might just pursue fat guys to look more desirable to other people. In fact, though, this is apparently less frequent than this response could have us think.
I’ll keep repeating the purpose, even in the event We seem like a broken record: lots of people really find fat males appealing!
4. “She’s In Love”
This is really the only answer that is truly mocking-free in the very best responses from the board. That by itself is illustrative associated with entrenched fatphobia on display when you look at the remaining portion of the answers. It is available in at 9/100, and therefore away from 100 people surveyed, “She’s in love” ended up being the solution provided by just nine individuals.
Exactly what are fat males viewing designed to think of their health and their well worth as human beings?
5. “He’s Warm/Cuddly”: Fat Men Are Great For Cuddling Yet Not Sex
The misconception: that is those types of “positive stereotypes” many of us you will need to used to buttress their blatant bigotry. It’s somewhat similar to statements like “all Asians are smart” or “all homosexual men are stylish and confident. ”
Fat men are stereotyped to be hot and cuddly, not much else in the side that is“positive” of. As proof of this, among the game show participants gave a response that wound up maybe maybe not being on the board: that a lady would date a man that is fat he had been proficient at intercourse. Steve Harvey, in the “comedic” fashion, reacted just as if it was the absolute most answer that is outrageous the whole world, with all the other participants as well as the audience laughing in agreement. In that way, the show promoted the idea that while fat guys can cuddly be warm and, they aren’t to be seen as sexual beings, let alone “good” at sex.
The truth: the matter with “positive stereotypes” would be that they automatically alienate anybody who does not remain in those stereotypes. A whole lot worse, they alienate anybody who would like to be viewed as more than just the caricature of themsleves painted by culture.
Truly the only quality that is redeeming culture permits fat guys — if they aren’t rich or effective, rather than also 100% regarding the time — is the fact that they’re like fluffy bears. Even though many fat guys are certainly “warm and cuddly, for them to see this as their only positive trait” it’s harmful.
Further, exactly what somebody perceives to be “good” or “bad” at intercourse is oftentimes entirely subjective and situated in individual choice. Ridiculing the notion that fat guys could possibly be “good” at intercourse further entrenches systemic fatphobia.
6. “He Won’t Cheat”: Fat Men Are Too In Need Of Like To Be Unfaithful
The misconception: Fat men won’t ever cheat on the lovers, the reasoning goes, since they wouldn’t do just about anything to ruin the “only sure thing” they will have within their current relationship. Put another way, they already know that no one else would like to be together with them.
The facts: To place it bluntly, that is directly incorrect. This dehumanizing survey answer assumes that fatness is inherently correlated with desperation for intimate and attention that is romantic.
As damning as it can be to acknowledge, fat guys are in the same way likely as virtually any guys to cheat on the lovers. And much more crucially, this misconception posits that fat men are incredibly ugly, no body would give them the opportunity to cheat to their lovers, which, once again, can be drastically wrong to assume.