Fat-shaming Melissa McCarthy

There's no doubt that Melissa McCarthy looks beautiful on the cover of ELLE.

However, there's been some considerable controversy regarding whether ELLE covered up the star's body in an oversized coat.

Right now oversized fall coats are all the rage. I see them everywhere—the mall, online, catalogues—and it appears that even the tiniest of women are enjoying the current trend, too.

The question remains though, that in the context of Melissa McCarthy and the fact that ELLE’s issue also has other female cover stars wearing less, was McCarthy treated differently because she’s bigger?

Perhaps.

Reese Witherspoon appears in a black Versace cutout dress, Shailene Woodley is dressed in a bathing suit, and Penelope Cruz is shown pushing her hair back to reveal a bare face.

At the same time, we should also ask what Melissa McCarthy thinks. It’s unfair to assume that she’s as equally unhappy as those who are reacting critically to the cover.

Each one of these women is at different stage in their life, too: Woodley is an emerging star, Reese Witherspoon is a veteran, and Cruz, while also a veteran, is pregnant as well.

McCarthy is known for comedic roles. The roles are often atypical of female comedians, and when she delves into a role you are reminded of Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, and Steve Buscemi because what she’s doing is so groundbreaking.

The roles are not sophisticated—think Bridesmaids—but that’s why she’s so great. She’s breaking down gender norms for female comedic roles.

The cover of ELLE may have been a way for her to relish in her femininity. This is assuming that fashion shoots are as glorious as they sound—she was probably having fun picking clothes out of one of the best couture closets ever.

Therefore, I commend her for her ability to transition so easily between what is considered the gender norms for males and females. I find that women are so uncomfortable with lowbrow humour, and yet we can laugh when men scrape the dirt with it.

Many believe that ELLE is fat-shaming McCarthy by putting her on the cover with an oversized coat, and given the context of other stars who’ve been put on covers and made to look slimmer—I agree.

However, I also believe that if it were a male on the cover in a bulky coat, it would just be about him and not about his weight.

That’s the difference we constantly rely on between male and female celebrities.

Is criticizing her cover taking away from the beauty of it? Are we a part of the fat-shaming, too?

Those are difficult questions and there’s a strong argument from both sides.

Personally, I don’t want to take McCarthy’s agency away from the cover where she reportedly picked out the coat and felt the experience “was kind of amazing”.

She’s one of my favourite actresses, especially when she hosts SNL, and it’s unfortunate that half of the stories written about her are either criticizing or defending her weight.

It doesn’t surprise me that this would be a part of the narrative of her celebrity. 

What do you think?