Bridgerton Season 3 & Body Image
🪶Bridgerton is causing A LOT OF FEELINGS…
(and not just the spicy ones🥵)
LET’S GET INTO IT!!!
Table of Contents
Dearest Gentle Reader…
It has come to the attention of this author that, despite finally getting some plus size representation on television–and of the romantic & sexual nature, no less–it has not quite satiated as many of us had hoped.
In fact, it has stirred even more questions, with nary a simple answer to be found.
Questions like:
- Is Penelope Featherington fat?
- Is Nicola Coughlin hot?
- Could the most eligible bachelor with washboard abs be attracted to a fat, potentially not hot person?
And perhaps, most importantly:
WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY STRONG, CONFUSING FEELINGS ABOUT ALL OF IT?!
I shall address the last one first…
WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY STRONG, CONFUSING FEELINGS ABOUT ALL OF IT?!
In a nutshell, the confusing & conflicting feelings are because of 2 things being at odds:
How we want to think & feel about it
-and-
How we know the body hierarchy functions in our (& Bridgerton’s) society
With that in mind, let’s take those questions again…
Is Penelope Featherington fat?
I’ve seen a lot of people up in arms about how Penelope shouldn’t even be considered “fat.”
What I hear, though, is not that they think she is objectively thin, but rather, that she is relatively smaller than other fat people.
This is absolutely true.
And in fact, her fatness just so happens to be dispersed on her body in such a way that it’s easy to mold and contort it into the “acceptable” shape that women are allowed to be; not too much fatness, and not in the wrong places.
What defines whether or not someone is fat? A clothing size? A weight? BMI? Body shape?
If you think there is an “official” answer to that, I’m sorry to report you’ll be looking for a long time.
If we understand that society treats fat people differently than people in smaller bodies, wouldn’t the functional determinant of whether or not someone is “fat” be how they are treated & taught to view themselves, based in part by how others view & treat them?
So, is Penelope Featherington fat?
Yes, I think it’s pretty clear that she is.
Is Nicola Coughlan hot?
Yes.
Moving on.
…
No, wait, my coach brain is telling me I need to elaborate.
Do people have their own opinions & preferences when it comes to attraction? Of course.
That, however, is not really what this question is about.
We all (as in: everyone receiving this email) understand that fatness & hotness are NOT mutually exclusive.
However, the body hierarchy vehemently disagrees.
Therefore, people who subscribe to & have a vested interest in maintaining the body hierarchy supremacy NEED all of us to believe that a person CANNOT be BOTH fat AND hot.
Except… here we are.
Existing.
Knowing she is both.
Changing the game.
Could the most eligible bachelor with washboard abs be attracted to a fat, potentially not hot person?
Okay, here’s where things get fun…
This is your brain looking for evidence, which is how you build a belief.
BUT!
If your brain has already decided that it is IMPOSSIBLE, then your brain is actually NOT going to look for evidence that a hot, popular, muscular guy could be attracted to a fat (hot) woman. Your brain is going to look for all the evidence to disprove that it’s possible.
AND
Even if you (or someone else) comes up with a list of proof, irrefutable evidence, and actual examples of hot guys with abs being attracted to fat women, then your brain is going to come up with 8 million reasons why THAT PROOF actually doesn’t count.
So, could Colin Bridgerton be attracted to Penelope Featherington? (And by extension, could any super attractive buff guy be attracted to a fat woman?)
Yes, of course. In fact, it can & does happen.
…
But…
That doesn’t feel very satisfying, does it?
There are still questions lingering, aren’t there?
Questions like:
“Sure, it can happen, but, like… does it really? Why have I never seen it?”
I GET IT!!!
And I have answers.
Let me know what you think about Bridgerton & any questions, thoughts, or arguments your brain is offering about all of this, & I’ll answer them all next week!
P.S.: Arguments & contesting this coaching is not only NOT a problem, that is, in fact, THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF COACHING! Let’s genuinely consider & answer your brain’s retorts!
| What questions, thoughts, or arguments are coming up for you about the plausibility of #Polin? | |
| No judgments, no wrong answers, no bad thoughts. | |
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