TLC announced a new show that aims to highlight stories of couples in what it dubs “mixed-weight relationships.”
The two-minute-long trailer for Hot and Heavy, released on Tuesday, shows a woman saying, “My mom told me that it’d be difficult to find love if I was heavy.”
Another woman says she feels she “hit the jackpot” by finding her partner.
“I always had this idea that I didn’t deserve love because of what I looked like,” another woman says.
For these couples, love knows no size. See the highs and lows of their mixed-weight relationships on the series premiere of #HotandHeavy Tuesday, January 7 at 10/9c. pic.twitter.com/QAFh8AILj7
— TLC Network (@TLC) December 10, 2019
The trailer then shows the women’s partners, who all comment on how happy and attracted they are to the women.
“I wouldn’t mind if she was a little bit bigger,” a man says.
Another man exclaims that “every inch is a joy.”
“There’s a lot of inches to love,” he adds.
The show immediately received backlash on Twitter, with TLC being accused of fatphobia and fetishization.
“What tf is this, @TLC? Creating a show about fat people in relationships, as if it’s surprising that anyone would love a fat woman. And not to mention the slight air of fat fetishization, it’s gross,” Twitter user @SimoneMariposa wrote.
Can we talk about the fatphobia of TLC as a channel because I am sick of it https://t.co/H4SSmBNam2
— Mean Fat Girl- 🏳️🌈🕹 (@Artists_Ali) December 11, 2019
https://twitter.com/wittnsass/status/1204841995581177856
If there’s a worse idea for a reality TV show, I’d like to hear it. pic.twitter.com/7chIhIs90I
— David Hobby 📷🌏 (@strobist) December 11, 2019
Hey @TLC, it’s 2020. Do better
— jax (@jaxLastNameHere) December 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/AustroJensen/status/1204970746335752192?s=20
What tf is this, @TLC?
— me, a fat 🦋🇬🇾 (@SimoneMariposa) December 11, 2019
Creating a show about fat people in relationships, as if it’s surprising that anyone would love a fat woman. And not to mention the slight air of fat fetishization, it’s gross. https://t.co/cJe1wNUOCw
Another criticized the comments the men made in the clip.
“‘I wouldn’t mind if she was a little bit bigger’ ehhhhh sounds like a fetish to me,” Twitter user @myabrianne_21 wrote.
“I wouldn’t mind if she was a little bit bigger” ehhhhh sounds like a fetish to me 😬😬😬
— mya🦁 (@myabrianne_21) December 10, 2019
Others pointed out how all of the couples shown in the preview are plus-size women with slim men, rather than the other way around.
“So… a show exclusively about ‘men who love plus-size women’ but not women who love plus-size men. Why not both ways, TLC?” Twitter user @GESSwrites questioned.
So…
— GESS 🇵🇦 (@GESSwrites) December 11, 2019
a show exclusively about
“men who love
plus-size women”
but not women who love
plus-size men.
Why not both ways, @TLC ? pic.twitter.com/Id62jgtQw1
So will there be a couple the other way around him big her not just curious? #hotandheavy
— Mercedes Bardales (@mommy1669) December 11, 2019
According to Deadline, Hot and Heavy is set to premiere in January. The series will comprise of three hour-long episodes, each showing a different couple’s story.
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H/T BuzzFeed
