The 2010s brought the indie film and streaming revolution, and with it, space for stories that didn't conform to the Hollywood body standard. A crucial text emerged: My Mad Fat Diary (2013–2015), a British teen dramedy based on Rae Earl’s memoirs. Here was a big girl, Rae (Sharon Rooney), who was angry, depressed, funny, horny, and deeply romantic. She had a male best friend who didn't see her as a romantic option, and she had a love interest who did—but it was messy, awkward, and real. The show never pretended her size didn't matter; it showed how it complicated everything, from self-harm to first kisses.
And then came Dumplin’ (2018), the Netflix film starring Danielle Macdonald. A fat teen enters a beauty pageant to protest her mother’s pageant world. Along the way, she falls for a charming, thin boy (Luke Benward) who genuinely likes her—not despite her size, but because of her confidence. The film’s use of Dolly Parton’s music was a masterstroke: Parton herself has long been a symbol of unapologetic femininity, and her song “Jolene” becomes an anthem of self-worth. Dumplin’ proved that a big girl could lead a sweet, standard-issue rom-com without the narrative needing to punish her.
Recognizing how race, ability, and size overlap in media representation.