To me this neatly summarizes the recent co-opting of fat acceptance's language. Here, Lifetime - clearly interested in selling ad space to weight loss products on their site and on TV - is trying to pull a Kirstie Alley and have it both ways. Accept fat people, but lose weight. This is "fat acceptance lite" once again.
Listen. There are going to be people who support equality for fat people and then diet to lose weight. And there are going to be people who support equality for fat people and don't diet. Heretofore we've drawn a line in the sand, saying that if you subscribe to the fat acceptance philosophy you also subscribe to the idea of health at any size.
The reason why becomes clear here: if we say that it's okay to lose weight for the sake of losing weight, then fat acceptance does nothing. Cuoco wants fat people to get help ("let themselves go", a terribly negative statement) and yet wants us to accept diversity. If fat people are told they can lose weight or - worse - should lose weight, how exactly is that acceptance? Or liberation? Or revolution?
It isn't, and Lifetime is just trying to appease people in the movement with this one. Inevitably this "shocking exposé" will end with the main character reflecting on how we should be nice and kind to fat people, and you know a fat kid is gonna break down. I expect a lot of hugging and life lessons, followed by a 30-second ad for Weight Watchers.
