History Main / RealWomenHaveCurves

* Sara Rue as Claude Casey on ''LessThanPerfect''. In 2009 she signed a lucrative deal with Jenny Craig and dropped fifty pounds.

* LizzieMcGuire is often contrasted with Kate, the thinner [[TheCheerleader cheerleader]] and AlphaBitch, with Lizzie cast as a more relatable GirlNextDoor.
* In ''ThatsSoRaven'', Raven gets a VerySpecialEpisode where she models, and objects to the men's attempts to Photoshop her to look thinner.

* ''Comicbook/{{Ms Marvel 2014}}: Kamala, who is very much an AudienceSurrogate, originally fantasized about being like Carol Danvers, who fits conventional beauty standards, including weight. After using her powers to look as close to Danvers as possible, she realizes how uncomfortable the uniform is and how her natural body shape is incompatible with that ideal.

As such, this is somewhat of a CyclicTrope alongside its thin and lithe inverse, changing from one to the other every 10 to 20 years or so. For example, TheSixties and to a lesser extent TheSeventies were marked by a thin, ballerina-like ideal (e.g., Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy, Liz Montgomery, even a younger Marilyn Monroe) and/or toned and fit (Farrah Fawcett and Olivia Newton John), following a fad for "va-va-voom" voluptuousness in the Forties through mid-Fifties (e.g., Mae West, Betty Grable), which in turn had supplanted the slender look of TheRoaringTwenties and TheThirties. TheEighties brought bustier sex symbols, while TheNineties brought in the Heroin Chic, with extremely skinny models raising concerns regarding eating disorders in the later years of TheOughts. Finally in the 2010s, "padded" and even flat-out overweight sizes have been brought into mainstream appeal.

As such, this is somewhat of a CyclicTrope alongside its thin and lithe inverse, changing from one to the other every 10 to 20 years or so. For example, TheSixties and to a lesser extent TheSeventies were marked by a very thin, waif-ish ballerina-like ideal (e.g., Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy, Liz Montgomery), following a fad for "va-va-voom" voluptuousness in the Forties through mid-Fifties (e.g., Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Jane Russell), which in turn had supplanted the slender look of TheRoaringTwenties and TheThirties. TheEighties brought curvier sex symbols, while TheNineties brought in the Heroin Chic, with extremely skinny models raising concerns regarding eating disorders in the later years of TheOughts. Finally in the 2010s, curvaceousness has been brought back into mainstream appeal.

* Nia Vardalos admitted that she shot herself in the foot by naming her script ''Film/MyBigFatGreekWedding''. The resultant publicity tour had reporters endlessly asking about her weight, obliging her to drop forty pounds. She landed a starring role in ''My Life in Ruins'', but in an ironic reversal, [[RogerEbert critics]] complained they missed the old Vardalos, and didn't warm to this stick-thin imposter with bleached teeth. Every interview with Vardalos now has her fielding question about the weight ''loss''.

* Levis jeans also tried to implement this in a marketing campaign . . . using supermodel-thin women. Yes, really. The goal of the campaign was to appeal to women of "all shapes and sizes", but they flatly ''refused'' to use actual plus-size women or women with large buttocks to ''actually promote it.'' [[http://www.cracked.com/article_20122_6-ill-advised-marketing-campaigns-that-backfired-hilariously_p2.html Details here.]]

As such, this is somewhat of a CyclicTrope alongside its thin and lithe inverse, changing from one to the other every 10 to 20 years or so. For example, the late Fifties and Sixties were marked by a very thin, waif-ish ballerina-like ideal (e.g., Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy), following a fad for "va-va-voom" voluptuousness in the Forties through mid-Fifties (Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield), which in turn had supplanted the slender look of the Twenties and Thirties. The Seventies brought curvier sex symbols, which lasted until midway into The Nineties, which latter half brought in Heroin Chic, with extremely skinny models raising concerns regarding eating disorders. Finally in the 2010s, curvaceousness has been brought back into mainstream appeal.

* Rebel Wilson became a spokesmodel for Jenny Craig long before achieving mainstream Hollywood success. Her contract for ''PitchPerfect'' actually forbid her from continuing to lose weight. She confirmed her intention to resume the diet once her commitments were over.

* Nia Vardalos admitted that she shot herself in the foot by naming her script ''MyBigFatGreekWedding''. The resultant publicity tour had reporters endlessly asking about her weight, obliging her to drop forty pounds. She landed a starring role in ''My Life in Ruins'', but in an ironic reversal, [[RogerEbert critics]] complained they missed the old Vardalos, and didn't warm to this stick-thin imposter with bleached teeth. Every interview with Vardalos now has her fielding question about the weight ''loss''.

* ''DropDeadDiva'' seems to be based on this trope. Probably notable that it is on Lifetime. It occasionally averts this and shows counter-examples.

* Creator/JewelStaite gained some weight to play Kaylee on ''{{Firefly}}''. She and the pilot Wash arguably played the role of [[AudienceSurrogate Audience Surrogates]].

Note that for centuries, this was ''the'' standard body image among Western women. Specifically, women were expected to be plump and curvy; this was held up as the ''nec plus ultra'' of feminine beauty and sexual allure ([[TruthInTelevision Elizabethan women had ''such'' tiny waists]]). [[http://www.judgmentofparis.com/Lillian1.htm Lillian Russell]] is a perfect case in point; at the height of her fame in the 1890s, she hit 200 pounds at one point -- and was considered the archetype of American beauty. Body image began to change to a more slender ideal circa 1910, but the real switch to "pencil thin" didn't happen until after WorldWarI, or during the RoaringTwenties.

* JewelStaite gained some weight to play Kaylee on ''{{Firefly}}''. She and the pilot Wash arguably played the role of [[AudienceSurrogate Audience Surrogates]].

* Discussed in ''Film/{{Spanglish}}''. Creator/TeaLeone 's character spends a lot of time emotionally abusing her [[HollywoodPudge slightly overweight]] tween daughter and running endless laps around the neighbourhood. It's her way of dealing with her unhappy life, while by contrast, the Latina maid is more laid back and fulfilled, despite a lowered economic position. It's described as the sensation of "fullness," not just having curves, but being satisfied by eating, living, loving, and experiencing enough.

Note that before the early 20th century, this was ''the'' standard body image among Western women. Specifically, women were expected to be plump and curvy; this was held up as the ''nec plus ultra'' of feminine beauty and sexual allure. [[http://www.judgmentofparis.com/Lillian1.htm Lillian Russell]] is a perfect case in point; at the height of her fame in the 1890s, she hit 200 pounds at one point -- and was considered the archetype of American beauty. Body image began to change to a more slender ideal circa 1910, but the real switch to "pencil thin" didn't happen until after WorldWarI, or during the RoaringTwenties.

* Rose Tyler (BilliePiper) in ''Series/DoctorWho''. It's even lampshaded in "New Earth" during a GrandTheftMe moment.

* Dove moisturizing soap famously [[BrokenAesop bungled this trope]] in a 7-year-long ad campaign called "Dove 'Real' Women". First, Dove was ''very'' selective about the women it considered "real" (not too curvy, not too thin, no tattoos or blemishes, no messy hair, etc.) and second, they ''Photoshopped their models' images in order to make them more appealing.''

As such, this is somewhat of a CyclicTrope alongside its thin and lithe inverse, changing from one to the other every 10 to 20 years or so. For example, the late Fifties and Sixties were marked by a very thin, waif-ish ballerina-like ideal (e.g., Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy), following a fad for "va-va-voom" voluptuousness in the Forties through mid-Fifties (Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield), which in turn had supplanted the slender look of the Twenties and Thirties. The Seventies and Eighties brought curvier sex symbols. The Nineties brought in Heroin Chic. Finally, at the turn of the Millenium, curvaceousness was brought back into mainstream appeal.

Related to FatAndProud, HollywoodPudgy and BigBeautifulWoman. Contrast MostCommonSuperpower and AmazonianBeauty.

This has begun to see so much use lately that it's becoming a trope in its own right and [[BeautyIsBad every bit as damaging to female body image]] as the aforementioned overly thin models and actresses. The truth is that "real" women possess a variety of body types, from tall and thin to stout and curvy to large and voluptuous. Furthermore, there's nothing wrong with being remarkably toned and fit, so long as it's not being touted as "perfect". Declaring that one woman's body is less "real" than another body creates several UnfortunateImplications.

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[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]
* Sarah Rue as Claude Casey on ''LessThanPerfect''. In 2009 she signed a lucrative deal with Jenny Craig and dropped fifty pounds.

[[folder: Music ]]

* This is one of the major themes of Music/{{Sir Mix A Lot}}'s "Baby Got Back", in which he draws comparisons between very thin women and fakeness -- particularly in this exchange:

[[folder: Professional Wrestling ]]

[[folder: Theater ]]

* ''Webcomic/LoveMeNice:'' Debbie and Claire are curvy humanoid toons. While that was fine in Debbie's day, Claire's prevent her pursuing a job as a toon actor.

* This was the defense Wrestling/MickieJames had when Wrestling/{{Lay Cool}} started with the "Piggy James" insults; that she was a well-built and fit woman rather than being a rail-thin supermodel wannabe ValleyGirl, which was actually pretty accurate. That is, when she could [[MotorMouth get a word in edge-wise]], and didn't just respond with a [[TalkToTheFist sound thrashing]]. Unfortunately, rumors abound that that was just a way to get [[RealLifeWritesThePlot the actual thoughts of the WWE staff on the air]], causing Mickie to leave the company before [[KarmaHoudini [=LayCool=] could get their comeuppance]].
** Mickie and Lay-Cool have both gone on record that the point of the storyline was WWE wanted to address the issue of bullying.

** According to WWE insiders, this storyline was done purely as a punishment. As a real-life devout Christian, Molly would not have the sex appeal they wanted their Divas to have. In 2002, WWE management asked her to "be more like Trish" and when she refused, this storyline began. Yet, according to others, the angle was entirely a product of WWE Head of Creative, Stephanie [=McMahon=], and is held up as proof that she didn't know what she was doing. See the write-up of this angle on wrestlecrap.com. Both Jim Ross and Tazz apologized to her over the insults they made about her on commentary and Jerry Lawler has mentioned "getting a ton of hate mail" during that angle. It doesn't undo the damage, or the terrible message the company sent. Trish Stratus has said she shouldn't have said because she was a face at the time, aka ProtagonistCenteredMorality.

** According to WWE insiders, this storyline was done purely as a punishment. As a real-life devout Christian, Molly would not have the sex appeal they wanted their Divas to have. In 2002, WWE management asked her to "be more like Trish" and when she refused, this storyline began. Yet, according to others, the angle was entirely a product of WWE Head of Creative, Stephanie [=McMahon=], and is held up as proof that she didn't know what she was doing. See the write-up of this angle on wrestlecrap.com. Both Jim Ross and Tazz apologized to her over the insults they made about her on commentary and Jerry Lawler has mentioned "getting a ton of hate mail" during that angle. It doesn't undo the damage, or the terrible message the company sent. Trish Stratus has said she shouldn't have said because she was a face at the time (showing just how much the audience can identify with this trope).