Leigh MB
In an episode of what must surely be Black Mirror, BUT ISN’T, the network TLC announced a show called Hot And Heavy. The mess explores three straight “mixed weight” couples (men who love plus-sized women, all of whom are white).
If you’re wondering what all of that could possibly mean, it means TLC has decided a show about one larger person and one smaller person dating is, in some way, a good idea.
Here is the show’s trailer, which immediately received extreme backlash:
For these couples, love knows no size. See the highs and lows of their mixed-weight relationships on the series premiere of #HotandHeavy Tuesday, January 7 at 10/9c. pic.twitter.com/QAFh8AILj7
— TLC Network (@TLC) December 10, 2019
The show’s alleged goal is to explore the challenges that these three couples go through. And while fatphobia is a topic that deserves awareness, people took issues with a lot of the show’s approach.
For one, people hated the fact that ONLY the women were plus-size.
So will there be a couple the other way around him big her not just curious? #hotandheavy
— Mercedes Bardales (@mommy1669) December 11, 2019
So…
a show exclusively about
“men who love
plus-size women”
but not women who love
plus-size men.
Why not both ways, @TLC ? pic.twitter.com/Id62jgtQw1— GESS (@GESSwrites) December 11, 2019
While there are literally hundreds of different kinds of bodies, all of which deserve love, people were shocked by how the show verges on fetishizing larger bodies, treating them like freaks.
@tlc is back at it again with the exploitation 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️ “Hot and heavy”……. your whole team couldn’t come up with a name that didn’t have a sexual connotation?! Seeing as how it’s a show about bigger people finding love, that isn’t supposed to be fetishized?!?
— Flat Footed & Divine💁🏾♀️ (@NakitaCee) December 12, 2019
We don’t really face “unique struggles” as a couple — at least, not ones related to the fact that we aren’t the same weight. The pervasive idea that fat folx aren’t and can’t possibly be attractive to straight-size folx is not only FALSE, it’s HARMFUL.
— Samantha Puc 🦦✨🤶🏻 (@theverbalthing) December 11, 2019
We’re not anymore uniquely challenging as romantic partners than straight-size people. We’re not fetish material. We’re not freak shows. We’re not PROBLEMS.
Stop treating fatness as if it’s a plague until it suits your needs to treat it as entertainment. It’s neither.
— Samantha Puc 🦦✨🤶🏻 (@theverbalthing) December 11, 2019
People also thought the show did more harm by othering and exploiting the couples and the plus-sized subjects.
Quit exploiting obese people. The only reason you are daring to air something like this is to get people to watch your crummy network. Used to love TLC. Now I pretty much scroll right on by it when setting my DVR.
— RealityRubbish (@RealityRubbish) December 11, 2019
By creating a show focused solely on the “weird” dynamic that is “mixed-weight” couples, TLC is making a statement about the abnormality of these relationships. But I’d just like to remind everyone that what is ACTUALLY “normal” is loving someone regardless..
— the birds work for the bourgeoisie (@lexdocken) December 12, 2019
Overall, people thought the show was simply garbage:
recently got into 90 day fiancé, might have to stop watching bc TLC is making a show about “mixed-weight” couples (aka big women and “hot” men). and it’s called hot and heavy….. bitch it’s 2020 give me a break
— soft dumbass (@gracedherron) December 12, 2019
If there’s a worse idea for a reality TV show, I’d like to hear it. pic.twitter.com/7chIhIs90I
— David Hobby (@strobist) December 11, 2019
Hey @TLC, it’s 2020. Do better
— jacquelyn.goss (@jacquelynmgoss) December 12, 2019
Today @TLC forced me to read Mixed-Weight Couple and I’m disgusted. Can we all boycott their break show “Hot and Heavy”?
Fatphobia is EXHAUSTING.
— Michela M. (@NutellaPraxis) December 12, 2019
Even though the show itself is a hot mess, some Twitter users pointed out the fact that, if nothing else, the show revealed the pain of fatphobia.
If this show has one thing good going for it, its that it offers a glimpse of the fatphobia that these women endure regularly. One of the most heartbreaking things about being a fat person is how invalidated our experiences are. Please believe us when we …
— the birds work for the bourgeoisie (@lexdocken) December 12, 2019