Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
CW: Very minor spoilers warning!! I don't think it really spoils too much of anything, but just putting the warning here in case.
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A couple days ago, my wife Mod Dom and one of our friends took me to the movies for my birthday. We've been excited to see the new Spider-Man movie ever since we saw the trailer for it in Venom. LOVED it. Beautiful diversity and representation, gorgeously animated and wittingly funny, not really much to complain about here. Well written and voiced, the characters are memorable, interact smoothly with each other despite there being so many (take a lesson, Suicide Squad), and are a delight to watch. That after credits scene wins all of 2018. 10s across the board on this one, Marvel, great work.
But after the movie, there was one thing that stuck on my mind. All these different representations and interpretations of Spider-Folk but... where's the fat one? They literally say that anyone can wear the mask so, why not a fat depiction of Spider-Man?
There were a couple of things that did bother me about the movie, all of them relating to fatness. All of the Spider-Folk from different dimensions are skinny, except one. Which is of course Spider-Ham, the cartoon pig. Hmm, why am I not surprised. Older Peter Parker from another universe has a bit of pudge on his stomach (which several other characters continuously and unnecessarily comment on), but is still very much skinny passing. If he was getting picked on and shamed for that small amount of flab, I can't even imagine what someone my size at 300+ lbs. would be subjected to. Come on guys.
The only true big character in the movie is Kingpin, who is of course, the villain. Yawn. Same old song and dance, different media take. It gets exhausting after awhile, cinematic producers. The fat character is always the villain, but never the hero. We've seen it, we're tired of it, and it needs to end.
I am loving seeing all these new takes of classic characters with different diversity, being more inclusive of races, genders, and orientations. But we're still very much lacking in seeing fat folks and characters being brought into the protagonist and hero lights.
You're on the right track, big media. All we're asking is for a chance. Please give us the fat super heroes we want and need. And when you do get there, leave behind the fatphobic tropes too; don't make them all about food/constantly eating, don't admonish or make fun of them for their weight, don't make them lose weight just to get "success" by becoming skinny, etc. We have more than enough of that old outdated shit. Give us the good stuff and representation we deserve.
Fat people fighting to just exist and be themselves in a world that doesn't want them is by far one of the most heroic things to me. It's high time we got some recognition for it.
