What's missing from Dear White People?
Where are all the plus size people in Dear White People?
It would be fair to say I stan Dear White People. I was there since day dot watching the build up to the film, watching the film, interviewing one of the cast, then holding the show when it was released on the pedestal it desereved for the way it was the perfect echoing of the original film and brought new light to the characters. However having watched the third season I have to say...people, there's a problem with the show. Somehow there's no fat people.
Now as far as problems with the show go this is probably not a big one however given that the show tries it's hardest to portray a balanced view of black exellence while also exploring issues of race, gender and sexuality, it fails to explore the very real fact that there will be fat people in college (or for us Brits university).
It was a pleasant surprise to see Lionel having a sexual journey on the third season going from [redacted] to [redacted] and it did represent a selection of gay and lesbian relationships but with that in mind representation matters. Body image is (while shallow) something that cannot be ignored in the context of a student body at college much less the world and the variety of body sizes isn't represented in the show as much as it should be.
We are as much as we try not to be, image obsessed and want to be able to see ourselves in the entertainment we watch. So yes it's fantastic that Dear White People represents so many fantastic actors who protray characters who are the epitome of what we should all aim to be, but I find it hard to believe that the show cannot write in a character or two who are plus size divas or something which fits into the style of the show.
I know for a fact the show wouldn't struggle to show anyone in a good light. The framing is spectacular, the lighting is godsent and they're filming on freaking 8k red's...there's no way this all couldn't come together to make a plus size person look every much as screen ready as the other characters. So in the event that by some small miracle Netflix finishes Dear White People with a 4th series and doesn't leave us with an incomplete story, I can only ask one thing...bring us a fuller reflection of society in your main cast.
It should be noted that this is not only a problem with Dear White People but a majority of television shows and films, it's just the setting of this show just brought it more to my attention.
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