A plus-size influencer has clapped back at people who are “uncomfortable with fat women having their love story” after some critics dubbed Bridgerton “unrealistic” due to curvy actress Nicola Coughlan’s love scenes with Luke Newton.
Let’s dive into why this controversy is outdated and utterly ridiculous!
Meet Megan Ixim from New York.
She’s in a long-term relationship with her boyfriend, Todd, and she has a lot to say about the “mixed-weight” couple drama.
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Megan believes that even using the term “mixed-weight” makes it seem like plus-size women in love is some sort of weird phenomenon.
Spoiler alert: It’s not.
Recently, Forbes faced backlash over an opinion piece about Bridgerton’s so-called “mixed-weight romance.”
The article suggested that the world is “still not ready” to see people of different body types dating on screen in 2024.
The piece discussed the relationship between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), and the internet had a lot of feelings about it.
Many readers took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to criticize the article.
“Whoever wrote the Forbes article about ‘mixed weight relationships’ should be pummelled by mixed weight baseball bats,” one person penned.
Another shared: “Off the top of my head: King of Queens, The Simpsons, Parks and Recreation (Andy/April), I could go on. ‘Mixed weight relationships’ (dumb phrase btw) have been on screen for years. next time [Forbes], just say you are uncomfy with plus-size women, it will get your point across quicker.”
Another X user pointed out that “mixed-weight” romances have always existed in TV shows and movies.
“I find it interesting how there are countless fictional couples in film and television where the man weighs more than the woman but people didn’t start writing articles about whatever the f— a ‘mixed-weight romance’ is until it was the other way around,” they wrote.
Megan pointed out that these notions are rooted in some deep-seated sexism. “Relationships where the man is the larger partner don’t raise any flags,” she told FEMAIL.
Forbes argued that the on-screen romance defied typical conventions because Nicola is “larger” than Luke. However, many would argue this is an outdated POV in this day and age.
“The term ‘mixed-weight’ couples exists because people are uncomfortable with fat women having their love story,” Megan explained.
She added that society isn’t happy with “fat women being openly and publicly desired, adored, and respected by partners perceived to be of ‘higher value’ simply because they exist in a smaller body.”
Megan continued, “We only see this term when it is applied in heteronormative relationships where the woman is larger than the man because public relationships…”
“Public relationships where the man is larger don’t raise any flags,” she noted before giving an example of how media often portrays sizes in heteronormative relationships. “Just look at every sitcom in the ’90s and 2000s.”
Megan also shared her personal experiences of dating as a plus-size woman. When she joined dating apps at 24, she was met with insults or fetishization.
“They tell you there are millions of fish in the sea, but 95 percent of those fish are just waiting to insult or fetishize your existence in a single sentence,” she wrote in HuffPost.
Despite the hurtful comments, Megan has embraced her body type and describes herself as a “fat activist.”
She is now in a loving relationship and uses her platform to challenge societal norms and promote body positivity.
