Today in FFS news: think that it’s only living, sentient beings who are capable of feeling rubbish about their weight? Well, you’d be wrong, because it looks like even cartoons aren’t exempt from being fat-shamed.
Warner Bros are facing a shit storm on social as people are accusing them of fat shaming in their latest installment of Scooby-Doo. In the episode called ‘Frankencreepy’, which is loosely based on Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, Daphne Blake gets ‘cursed’ during an adventure in Pennsylvania and is, horror of horrors, morphed from an American size 2 to a size 8 (that’s a size 6 to a 12 in UK sizes). Daphne, confronts an evil villain in cracked full-length mirrors that reveal a bigger version of her ordinarily skinny body. She’s so troubled by her weight gain that she collapses on the floor in tears saying ‘Is this why I have lost my looks? Because I’m cursed?!’
Obviously, viewers have commented that this sends out a pretty appalling message on body image to the very young and impressionable children that Scooby-Doo is aimed at. Others have pointed out that Daphne looks a lot bigger than a size 12 in the episode, although we feel like quibbling over the accuracy of the fat shaming is somewhat missing the point – implying that weight gain (however significant) is some sort of ‘curse’ or punishment is a very weird and dangerous message to be including in a cartoon about a dog that solves mysteries, isn’t it? Maybe instead of making a comment on women’s bodies, they could stick to figuring out which masked villain is hidden down a well this week? Just a thought.
It’s a point that hasn’t escaped writer from the Good Men Project Tom Burns, who had this to say about the episode:
‘That’s right. Daphne gets cursed and (horror of horrors) she finds that’s she’s gone from a “size two to a size eight,” even though she’s been drawn by animators who apparently have NEVER seen a size-eight woman in real life before.
‘“Fat Daphne” is drawn like she’s Violet Beauregarde from Willy Wonka, like she’s puffed up like a balloon.
‘It’s sad to think that my daughter can’t even watch a cartoon about a dog solving mysteries without negative body stereotypes being thrown in her face.’
For their part, Warner Bros are quick to point out that Daphne ends the episode having learnt the error of ways, realising that she was being superficial. In a statement to the Huffington Post, Warner Bros said:
‘All of our content is run through Standards and Practices, and there is always sensitivity to obesity and self image, especially when it comes to programming made for children and a family audience. Although you are correct that Daphne becomes bigger in the course of the story, the message is actually a much more positive one.
‘While Daphne is at first upset by the sudden change, there is a touching moment where Fred points out that he didn’t even notice a change and that she always looks great to him. At the end, when Velma explains how they figured out the mystery, she points out that the curse actually DIDN’T take away what means the most to each of them: their friendship.
The loss of Daphne’s regular appearance is proven to be a superficial thing, and not what actually matters the most to her.’
We can see what they were trying to do there, but even introducing body worries in a programme that’s aimed at pre-teens seems a little premature doesn’t it?
Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophiecullinane
**Like this? Then you might also be interested in: **
**Why Positive Reinforcement Like 'You Look Dangerously Skinny' Only Reinforces Anorexia **
There's A Great Big 'Ass' In Glass Ceiling, How Being Overwight Affected My Career
**When I Told My Friend She Sleeps Around Too Much She Accused Me Of Fat Shaming Her **
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.