A plus size influencer has hit back at people who are ‘uncomfortable with fat women having their love story’, after some critics dubbed Bridgerton ‘unrealistic’ because of curvy actress Nicola Coughlan’s love scenes with Luke Newton.
Megan Ixim, from New York, who is in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Todd, said that even describing couples as ‘mixed-weight’ feeds into the notion that plus-size women in passionate relationships is an ‘oddity’ or ‘unacceptable’.
It comes after Forbes met fierce criticism over an opinion piece about two Bridgerton characters are in a ‘mixed-weight romance’ – suggesting that the world is ‘still not ready’ to see two people of different body types dating on-screen.
The piece, by Virgie Tovar, a ‘leading expert on weight bias’, discussed the relationship between fictional characters Penelope Featherington, played by Nicola Coughlan, and Colin Bridgerton, played by Luke Newton.
In conversation with FEMAIL, content creator Megan suggested that the notion is rooted in sexism because relationships ‘in which the man is the larger partner do not raise any flags’.
In Forbes, Tovar said that the on-screen relationship between the two characters ‘defied romance plotline convention’ because Nicola is ‘larger’ than Luke.
Megan said: ‘The term ‘mixed-weight’ couples only exists because people are uncomfortable with fat women having their love story.’
She added that they are not happy with ‘fat women being openly and publicly desired, adored, and respected by partners that others would perceive to be of ‘higher value’ simply because they exist in a smaller body.
‘We only see this term when it is applied in heteronormative relationships where the woman is larger than the man because public relationships in which the man is the larger partner do not raise any flags: Just look at every sitcom in the ’90s and noughties.
‘We are all in a “mixed”, insert descriptive here, relationship – whether it’s height, hair, race, gender, etc.
‘This term is used to make it appear as if a fat woman being in a romantic relationship is an oddity, out of the norm, or simply unacceptable. Well, we’re out here, and we’re thriving nonetheless.
Elsewhere, Megan has opened up on the difficulties of dating as a plus-size woman – her experience before she met her current partner.
Talking in HuffPost, the content creator explained that when she first joined dating apps at the age of 24 in 2014, she was met with a constant flow of insults or fetishization.
‘They tell you there are millions of fish in the sea, but what they don’t tell you is that 95 per cent of those fish are just waiting to insult or fetishize your entire existence in a single sentence,’ she wrote.
She added: ‘When it’s still OK to hate fat people openly, why would I think random strangers would treat me with respect, especially when there are no consequences beyond a block and delete?
‘Why would I expect to be accepted when fat people aren’t even reflected in the images these platforms use to promote their apps?’
Despite the hurtful comments Megan has attracted when throwing herself into the world of dating, she has embraced her body type, describing herself as a ‘fat activist’ and is now in a loving relationship.
On the topic of ‘mixed weight relationships’, body positivity and mindset champion Danielle Broadbent thought similarly to Megan.
Danielle told FEMAIL that the ‘ridiculous double standards’ in film and TV mean that ‘sexism’ and ‘sizeism’ are huge issues in the industry.
She said: ‘Mixed weight relationships are nothing new, in fact, they have been around and dominating our screens for years but it seems to be always the woman who has to be slim – we seem to have a real issue here with not only sexism but sizeism.
‘No one at all seems to have an issue when it’s the man who isn’t rocking a six pack.’
She added that when the man is ‘heavier’ than the woman, it is seen as ‘acceptable and realistic’, but the reverse is still viewed as ‘unrealistic and implausible’.
Danielle said: ‘Our society has had it drilled into them that to be classed as a beautiful woman you must fit a certain body type – which sadly isn’t the one of Penelope.
‘How can the audience be expected to believe that the perfect, dashing, wealthy and very charming Colin Bridgerton would be attracted to plus size Penelope?’
