I agree with LeBesco's statement that we take terms like fat and queer and interpret them differently sometimes using them as negative power tools to demean individuals. The term queer and fat can be understood differently by different people. We have been trained mostly by popular culture to think of the word "Fat" as an association with laziness and unattractiveness when beauty can come in all shpes, sizes and forms. The idea of artificiality of the truths we think we know is obvious in how Dawn's character is displayed in the film. Divine brings "fat" and "queer" together. Dawn does a good job at putting the notion that you can't be fat and attractive to rest. The movie depicts a different unconventional type of beauty. Dawn does a great job at trying to re-define what beauty is.
Uncoventional beauty
No TrackBacks
TrackBack URL: http://blog.lib.umn.edu/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/179925

The whole idea and re-defining beauty was very intriguing to me. I also agree how mainstream society almost subconsciously teaches us to use these terms in a negative manner to demean individuals. The concept of the film was great.
I appreciate that you discuss how the terms can both have negative implications to them. Before my sophomore year starting GLBT classes and CSCL classes I had never heard of queer in a positive light unless in forms in TV titles; in tying in the word "fat" the position the movie took in its over emphasized features was also very positive I felt, (even though the person demonstrating a beauty ended up killing a lot of people haha).