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More Fake Fat Girls

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Written by: Kelly on April 13, 2010.

I realize I bring this up a lot, but this is an issue that really needs to be addressed. This spring and fall will be bringing us more stories of accepting yourself as a fat person — or in some cases, getting in better shape so you can accept yourself as you are. But as you probably guessed, we won’t be seeing any fat girls. Check out the new selection of young adult titles that will bring you more of less.*

Fat girls love ice cream!


Fat girls can be stylish, like Veronica who loves vintage, but we can only show you the dresses while they’re on the hanger.


We can only see the Designated Ugly Fat Friend’s face, and she’s actually quite attractive and doesn’t feature anything fat about her. Oh wait for the new cover design for this one …


YES! We have a face AND food (I’m classifying gum here as food). I love the girl’s freckles, but seriously. She’s still not a. ugly or b. fat.


I think that Bookshelves of Doom covered this one better than I can.

SERIOUSLY? Can we not put a fat girl on a cover, ever? I do not understand why this is so tough and unrealistic. Let me remind you of this and this. As has been shown with the covers of and Liar and Magic Under Glass, we can make a difference. We need people to speak out and speak up. This includes with our wallets.**

* Let me also add this: when we get into these conversations about fat girls on cover, we are also prodding an issue of thinness, too. Inadvertently, thin models and girls are going to feel attacked because of their body. It’s unfair and not right on any level. There IS NO PERFECT, but this is misrepresentation or lack of any representation. It is a lose-lose situation for everyone. If we want to write the books about being ok with yourself, we should also show that fact.

** It’s really a bummer to the authors, too, who work SO HARD to write these books. I’d be curious how they felt about the issue. We shouldn’t punish them since they are trying to do something important.

Comments

  2. I know you just picked a few but here were a few that came to my mind:

    Also, Sarah Paley's Huge: http://www.amazon.com/Huge-Sasha-Paley/dp/1416957952/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271170863&sr=1-3

    Suzanne Supplee's Artichoke's Heart: http://www.amazon.com/Artichokes-Heart-Suzanne-Supplee/dp/B001M4JKDQ/ref=pd_sim_b_47

    Although here IS one that actually DOES represent a heavier person, however it's just an image, not a real person: http://www.amazon.com/Looks-Madeleine-George/dp/B001M4JKFO/ref=pd_sim_b_34

  5. Ha – no worries! We're commenting quickly here. But, you make the important point that MANY MANY PEOPLE can name these books off the top of their head and know there's no real representation here.