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Why Plus-Size Characters Are Often Tokenized In TV Shows

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The Uncomfortable Reality of Television’s Size Problem

Television has always been a mirror reflecting society’s values, but when it comes to body size representation, the reflection shows an uncomfortable distortion. The representation of leading fat characters decreased in 2023, even when limiting the sample to English-only popular programming. According to industry reports, plus-size representation in leading roles remains limited in popular programming. This statistical backslide reveals a deeper issue lurking beneath the surface of modern entertainment.

While shows occasionally feature plus-size characters, they’re often relegated to predictable roles that serve specific narrative functions rather than existing as fully realized individuals. Discussions of Hollywood tokenism typically center on race or sexual orientation, not body type. But while we’re seeing more and more big women in major roles – a step in the right direction – Hollywood is still stumbling over this frontier, struggling to depict these characters in realistic, respectful and nuanced ways.

The Numbers Don’t Lie About Television’s Size Bias

Studies suggest that approximately 5-7 percent of characters in popular films have larger bodies and that many of those fell into the “funny friend” role. This stark underrepresentation becomes even more problematic when you consider that roughly two-thirds of American adults are considered overweight or obese by medical standards. Television’s character roster doesn’t even come close to reflecting real-world demographics.

The Geena Davis Institute’s research reveals another troubling trend. Research indicates that fat characters are more likely to be male than female in television and film. This gender imbalance suggests that even within the limited sphere of plus-size representation, female characters face additional barriers to meaningful inclusion.

When One Character Must Represent Everyone

The classic tokenism trap emerges when shows include exactly one plus-size character who must shoulder the burden of representing an entire demographic. Over the course of the season, only one character is actually played by an actor who is legitimately plus-size – and Dee (Ashley D Kelley) is also tasked to represent the black and gay communities as well, the ultimate token whose story is never the focus of the show. This intersectional tokenism creates an impossible situation where one character becomes a walking checklist of diversity markers.

These characters often exist primarily to make other characters look good or to provide specific plot functions. They become the loyal best friend, the comic relief, or the cautionary tale rather than driving their own narratives. Their storylines revolve around their size rather than their humanity, reducing complex individuals to a single characteristic.

The Comedy Trap That Reduces Characters to Punchlines

Studies have analyzed primetime television shows and movies and found that overweight female characters are often teased and insulted by male characters, which is followed by audience laughter. This pattern creates a cruel dynamic where plus-size characters become acceptable targets for humor, reinforcing harmful stereotypes while masquerading as entertainment.

When women of above average weight do appear, they tend to draw negative comments from other characters about their looks. These comments are almost always followed by “canned” laughter, indicating that the audience is expected to agree that these characters are appropriate butts of humour. On Friends, for example, the character of Monica is shown as having a larger body in flashbacks – portrayed by the same actress, wearing a “fat suit” – in which her weight is consistently played for laughs.

The Missing Romance and Professional Success Stories

Rarely if ever are they romantic leads, successful lawyers or doctors, or action stars. This systematic exclusion from aspirational roles sends a clear message about who deserves love, success, and heroic storylines. Plus-size characters are often relegated to supporting roles that reinforce their marginalized status rather than challenging societal assumptions.

When plus-size characters do appear in professional settings, they’re frequently portrayed as less competent or struggling with personal issues that supposedly stem from their size. This creates a vicious cycle where viewers rarely see examples of larger-bodied people thriving in prestigious careers or romantic relationships, perpetuating the notion that size determines life outcomes.

Research Shows How Media Shapes Young Minds

Given the biased representation of overweight and obese individuals in child-targeted media, it is not surprising that children who are exposed to greater amounts of media express greater stigmatization of overweight people. In fact, children who report greater total media use, magazine use, and time spent playing video games evidence greater stigmatization of overweight and obese children than their peers who consume less media.

Harrison concluded that this was because ‘they (fat female characters) are so negatively portrayed that even the most accepting of children tend to remain unattracted to them’. These findings illuminate how television’s tokenized representation creates lasting impressions on developing minds, potentially shaping attitudes and biases that persist into adulthood.

The Stereotype Factory in Full Operation

She discovered that overweight female characters were considered less attractive, respected, and intelligent, sloppier, and more likely to be the brunt of jokes. Overweight male characters, on the other hand, were viewed as more jolly, loud, and less attractive. These patterns reveal how television systematically reduces plus-size characters to a narrow set of predetermined traits.

The research consistently shows that larger characters are portrayed as less intelligent, less healthy, and more prone to negative behaviors. Those deemed unattractive (i.e. primarily overweight characters) were significantly more likely to be depicted as less intelligent, loving, and physically healthy. They were also more commonly unemployed, unhappy, and angry. Consistent with the ‘what is beautiful is good’ stereotype, unattractive characters were nine times more likely to be categorized as ‘bad characters’ who engaged in half as many prosocial acts and significantly more violent and aggressive acts than their better-looking counterparts.

When Diversity Becomes a Marketing Strategy

When brands use plus-size models in poorly fitted clothes, it feels like tokenism rather than genuine inclusivity. The result is advertising that looks performative rather than authentic. Plus-size consumers can easily spot when brands are simply checking boxes rather than genuinely caring about their experience. This same performative approach occurs in television when networks include plus-size characters primarily to appear progressive without investing in meaningful character development.

Shows may feature plus-size characters in promotional materials or pilot episodes to generate buzz about their inclusivity, but these characters often disappear or become increasingly marginalized as seasons progress. This bait-and-switch approach suggests that inclusion was never the genuine goal.

The Dangerous Message About Health and Worth

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Thus, the growing trend of “fattertainment” is troubling. While it’s promising to see more Americans with obesity represented on television, it’s imperative that these representations be free from stereotypes and ridicule. The constant association of plus-size characters with health problems, laziness, or moral failings reinforces harmful stereotypes that affect real people’s lives.

Television often portrays weight as a moral issue rather than a complex health topic, suggesting that larger-bodied people are somehow less worthy of respect, love, or success. This messaging can have devastating effects on viewers who see themselves reflected in these limited, negative portrayals.

The Economic Reality Behind the Representation Gap

The global plus size clothing market was valued at approximately USD 190-198 billion in 2023 according to various industry reports, with projections showing continued growth in coming years. Despite this massive market, television continues to underrepresent plus-size consumers, missing opportunities to connect with a significant portion of their audience.

The disconnect between market reality and media representation suggests that entertainment industry decision-makers remain influenced by outdated beauty standards rather than business sense. This represents a massive missed opportunity to create content that resonates with underrepresented audiences while building loyalty among overlooked demographics.

Breaking the Cycle Requires Systemic Change

There are some signs that this is beginning to change, though, with movies such as Booksmart and series such as Survival of the Thickest casting larger-bodied women in roles that give them the leading and romantic roles usually reserved for thin women. Still, “complex and non-stereotyped fat characters are still few and far between, especially in science fiction and other genre entertainment,” and studies of more recent TV series have found that while they “were less explicit in ostracizing their overweight characters than those in prior decades, they continued to propagate negative stereotypes”.

Real progress requires more than occasional positive examples. It demands systematic changes in how stories are developed, characters are written, and casting decisions are made. The industry needs plus-size writers, producers, and decision-makers who can bring authentic perspectives to storytelling rather than relying on tired tropes and assumptions.

The Path Forward

Creating meaningful representation means moving beyond tokenism toward authentic storytelling that reflects the full spectrum of human experience. Plus-size characters deserve storylines that explore their dreams, challenges, relationships, and triumphs without constantly referencing their body size as the primary source of conflict or comedy.

The solution isn’t simply adding more plus-size characters to existing shows – it’s fundamentally reimagining how these characters are conceived, developed, and integrated into narratives. This requires courage from creators, networks, and audiences willing to demand better representation and to support content that challenges conventional beauty standards rather than reinforcing them. The conversation has started, but the real work of transformation is just beginning.

Editorial Staff

The Curvy Fashionista editorial team is a collective of passionate writers, editors, and content creators who live and breathe all things plus size fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. With a mission to inform, inspire, and empower our community, our staff is made up of style-savvy experts who are deeply committed to celebrating size inclusivity and championing representation in fashion and media.

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