A few weeks ago, actor Jonah Hill asked that people refrain from commenting about his body – good or bad. It’s easy for bigger people to empathize; every day the world tries to base our value on the size of our bodies. In this week’s episode of the Heavy Conversation Podcast, we talk about why Jonah Hill’s body matters, and how we discuss him moving forward.
Simply highlighting positive things about bigger people in the world is a kind of subversive activism
We can talk about and celebrate a plus size person without making it about their body. We’ve done this for years in countless articles here at Chubstr. Instead of focusing on someone’s size, we spotlight their accomplishments, or the interesting things about them. The fact that they are plus size is one aspect of who they are, but it’s not the only one. It’s not even the most important one.
We’ve been told all our lives that if you’re fat, you’re worth less as a person. There are many ways to push back against that fallacy. Simply highlighting positive things about bigger people in the world is a kind of subversive activism. It helps show the world that there are plus size people out there living their best lives doing things they love. We need more of this. Jonah Hill is one such example.
Jonah Hill doesn’t want people to focus on his body. That’s fair – it’s his body and his right to ask. The chances of every media outlet respecting his wishes are slim. Articles focused on people’s bodies bring clicks, and clicks are currency in today’s whirlwind content cycle.
So, how do we talk about Jonah Hill moving forward? Enjoy the roles he plays or the films he directs. Discuss his sense of style. Read his interviews, see his stuff. It takes a lot for anyone to put themselves out there, and being in the public eye must intensify that.
We can respect Jonah Hill’s wishes and continuing to enjoy what he represents for plus size people. Let’s focus on doing that moving forward.
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Featured photo: Harald Krichel
