[Pride 2021] I'm a Fat Gay Horror Fan and I Don't Have to Apologize About It

Successful horror movies, in addition to being delightfully entertaining, often provide a snapshot of the cultural attitudes reflecting the time in which they were made.  For instance, in the post WWII era of the 1950’s, films such as Godzilla and The Killer Shrews were popular because they capitalized on the prevalent fear of nuclear warfare and genetic mutation. In the 1960’s Rosemary’s Baby and Night of the Living Dead were acclaimed because they reflected the ongoing women and civil rights movements sweeping across the United States.

The 1970’s brought films such as The Last House on the Left and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a result of the violence seen in the Vietnam war. The 1980’s ushered in the “Golden Age of Slashers”. Films such as those from the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street franchises featured much more sexuality and violence than ever before because of the culture of excess that existed at the time. The 1990’s, in turn, were characterized by irony and self-awareness, thus giving birth to Scream and its milieu of copycats. The 2000’s saw a wave of nostalgia causing the boom of horror remakes of the films from the 70’s and 80s. And so the trend continues on through today. 

Modern day horror seems to have abandoned the nostalgia that led to all the remakes because of a cultural shift in awareness and an ever-growing sensitivity to the issues surrounding marginalized people and the importance of proper representation in the genre. Today’s horror has become decidedly less exploitive and more reliant on great storytelling and character development as opposed to clichés and stereotypes. Get Out is perhaps the best example of this shift as it takes on racism as its theme and challenges all the archaic tropes about black people in horror movies. It was an absolute game changer.

Similarly, with the rise of the “Me Too” movement we are seeing women’s roles elevated in films like Hereditary. There has also been slow but increasing opportunities for female directors to tell their stories and so we are seeing movies like Relic and The Babadook. Advancements in gay rights have allowed us to dismiss the monstrous queer trope with movies like Freaky, Into the Dark: Midnight Kiss and Spiral (2019). We have definitely taken steps in the right direction.

Please don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that the work is finished and that all is fair and balanced in horror representation for people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. That’s not true for the horror genre or any other part of the entertainment industry. What I am simply saying is that there has been advancement and I celebrate that while simultaneously asking for more! 

Despite all this positive change, however, there is one area in which we have not advanced; and that is in the representation of bigger bodies in horror. The reason for this is simple. While the discussion has been opened about body positivity and size acceptance, there is still a deep held fear of and rejection of fat bodies in our culture. 

How many times have we asked someone if we look ‘fat’ in this outfit? How many times have you berated yourself for having an extra serving at dinner or for eating that dessert? It’s a behavior ingrained in all of us and consistently reinforced by the lack of plus-sized people in marketing campaigns, tv shows and movies. The hard fact of it is that approximately 69% of American adults are overweight. Why then is this not reflected in the media we are exposed to?

The most common argument given to support the existing system of thought is that obesity is unhealthy and that it should not be celebrated and showcased. I am not here to argue that point or advocate an unhealthy lifestyle. I will just say the following in relation to that: Not every big person is unhealthy. Also, there are many factors at work with relation to someone’s weight. I personally comfort eat, so my weight goes up when I am depressed or quarantined for over a year. There are emotional issues and physical conditions such as thyroid problems and hormone imbalances that contribute to weight gain. There is just no way to know what someone is going through, nor should it matter, frankly. Every body is worthy of respect and love.

Normalize seeing bigger bodies in movies and on television! While we are at it, make it positive representation and let’s start with the most forward-thinking genre of horror! Every larger person I could think of in a horror movie was either a victim or the killer. Allow me to give just a few examples:

-The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Leatherface — killer; Franklin — victim/most hated horror character of all time

-Friday the 13th, Part III: Shelly — victim/ annoying prankster

- Misery: Annie Wilkes — primary antagonist/ killer nurse

- Madman: Madman Marz — killer

- Ma: Sue Ann Ellington — killer

-My Bloody Valentine: Hollis — victim

The list can and does go on and on but you get the point. It is very similar to the way queer people were so often portrayed in horror. A bigger person can only be a deranged killer or an annoying reviled victim whose death you are rooting for. We can and should do better. 

Let me be the first to say that as a horror fan myself, I personally love that I get to identify with Leatherface and Annie Wilkes. They are two of my favorite horror characters of all time! However, I am not representative of all big people and I can easily see how someone would be discouraged to see themselves represented as such in the genre they love. There needs to be some balance in how people of size are portrayed in horror media. For every loathsome larger character, let there be a likeable/ proactive one that doesn’t get the business end of the butcher knife. That’s all I’m saying.

I would love to see more characters like Guillermo from the TV version of What We Do In the Shadows. Guillermo is a plus-sized person of color and his size is NEVER used as the punchline of a joke, nor is it used as a handicap for him. Discovering him and Harvey Guillen, the queer actor that brilliantly portrays him, fills me with joy! I wish I had someone like him on tv while I was growing up.

My own horror hosting character, Stan the Mechanic, was conceptualized as a big, hairy, queer person of color, just like I am! Stan’s size isn’t used as cannon fodder for the jokes. He’s a geeky, foul-mouthed, sexual demon who loves horror movies. He’s just like me, and maybe, just like you too.

Representation is so important in the public arena. Any overlooked or marginalized person will tell you how much it hurts to not see themselves reflected in the media they partake in. Its time for that to change. Larger bodies deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated. It is my sincere hope that this change takes hold in the ever shifting and always evolving genre of horror.

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