Dumplin'/Puddin' Triple
Character: Amanda Lumbard
Representation: Biromantic asexual, Limp
Their Importance: She’s a tomboyish, sporty and cheery person with a limp caused by a congenital hip disorder. Unlike most other disabled characters in stories like this this is an authentic part of her personality rather than a show of how sweet or inspiring she is. She is one of a very small number of disabled characters in YA who isn’t defined by angst over her condition. In Puddin she reveals that she’s biromantic and explains asexuality and romantic orientation to her accepting friends about in a very light and accessible scene.
Issues: She was completely removed from the film adaption.
Character: Hannah Perez
Representation: Dominican, Lesbian
Their Importance: She’s a loud, forcible person, completely unapologetic in her identity. She’s way deeper than just being a “sassy minority sidekick”. She can be petty and mean and also call people out on their bs and make powerful points. She isn’t conventionally attractive, mainly due to her misaligned teeth, which doesn’t lessen her worth at all and all the jokes about her appearance come from bigoted jackasses that aren’t funny in the slightest. Hannah angrily challenges the idea that she should have to alter her apperance to be respected (which ties into the central theme of the book). While she becomes friendlier to the rest of the main group she’s never completely softened. She casually comes out to the protagonist towards the end of the book and takes part in the pageant with her girlfriend as an escort. More butch/masc lesbians don’t tend to show up in YA because they’re ”stereotypical” so having Hannah attending the pageant in combat boots with no make-up was pretty special. Despite the whole plot revolving around a pageant she’s never “prettied up” in any way. As she tells us she shouldn’t have to.
Issues: She was white-washed and all references to her sexuality (aside from one glimpse of a girl implied to be her girlfriend) were removed for the film (plus the typical Hollywoodizing removal of her “unpretty” features and toning her personality way down).
Character: Millie Michealchuck
Representation: Fat
Their Importance: She doesn’t fit into the narrow band of “acceptable” body variance, being heavier than the protagonist, having awkwardly shaped features and having nothing resembling fashion sense. She’s a sweet and painfully sincere person who has a lot of inner strength and depth. She’s one of the protagonists of Puddin where she determinedly chases her dream of being a journalist, battling against other’s expectations the entire time. Also it is a bit of a refreshing change to see religious characters who are sincere in their beliefs and is a decent person.
Thanks to anon for the write up!