"A Look at Megan Stalter's Push for Varied Body Representations on Television, Long Awaited (At Last)"

"A Look at Megan Stalter's Push for Varied Body Representations on Television, Long Awaited (At Last)"

In the world of entertainment, representation matters, and a growing number of voices are calling for a more inclusive and diverse portrayal of people who are different or disabled, or fat. Among these advocates is April Lockhart, a fashion influencer with a limb difference, who has become an unwitting disability advocate through her social media series, "Normalizing Disabled Fashion Girlies."

Lockhart, who lives with Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome, a vascular disorder that deforms her back and right leg, has not always felt her best. However, she has found solace in discussing her body and its struggles on her platform, which has helped her immensely. She emphasizes the importance of seeing people who are different or disabled or fat in media, stating, "The more you see it, the more familiar it becomes."

One example of this new wave of representation can be seen in Lena Dunham's new Netflix rom-com, Too Much, where the protagonist Jess, played by Megan Stalter, is not portrayed as insecure about her body, despite being larger-sized. Her story does not revolve around her body size, and this is a refreshing change from the stereotypical portrayal of people with larger bodies in television and film.

HBO's Somebody Somewhere is another show that has received praise for letting its protagonist be a full human being, not reducing her to weight-related storylines. The show's creator, Michael Patrick King, has stated that he wanted to create a world where the size and shape of a person's body is mostly irrelevant, especially in romantic relationships.

However, while there have been some improvements in Hollywood representation, there is still a long way to go. Tigress Osborn, executive director of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, criticizes the lack of meaningful representation of fat people in Hollywood. She mentions shows like Baby Reindeer and criticizes the main antagonist Martha's portrayal, stating that fat actors should be able to play various roles without being accused of making the world worse for fat people.

Osborn also highlights that while there is some improvement in Hollywood representation, fat people in the real world still face challenges such as not being able to use public transportation due to seat size or experiencing public harassment and systemic discrimination.

Jessica Salmon, the protagonist of Too Much, is played by Megan Stalter, who has expressed her comfort with her fat body. Stalter's portrayal of Jess is a dream-like depiction of an idyllic world where the size and shape of a person's body is mostly irrelevant, especially in romantic relationships.

Hulu's Single Drunk Female is another show that is appreciated for giving its character Felicia, played by Lily Mae Harrington, a real storyline not solely focused on her weight. The show's creator, Simone Finch, has stated that she wanted to create a character that was complex and multidimensional, not just a stereotype.

April Lockhart notes that while we should celebrate the small improvements in representation, we should not congratulate ourselves too much, as there is still a long way to go in terms of Hollywood representation for people who are different or disabled or fat. As more shows like Too Much and Somebody Somewhere continue to challenge stereotypes and provide meaningful representation, we can hope for a future where everyone, regardless of their body size or shape, is seen and heard.

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