42 Books, Movies And TV Shows That Are WAY Better Than "Insatiable"

    Fat characters treated as human beings instead of the butt of all the jokes? What a concept.

    Jenna Guillaume
    by Jenna Guillaume

    Editor-at-Large, BuzzFeed Australia

    Given all the attention Insatiable is getting for being a fat-shaming dumpster fire, we asked the BuzzFeed Community what fat positive shows, movies and books they recommend people check out instead. Here are the most popular suggestions...

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    1. My Mad Fat Diary

    E4

    "Rae from My Mad Fat Diary is the embodiment of everything I've ever felt since I was little. She is constantly learning how to love herself, and to believe that she can be loved in return. One of the best aspects of the show is that the love interest doesn't see through her weight, or suddenly realise that he likes Rae after a dare or as a joke. Rae is a complicated character who you can absolutely relate to, even when she's being anything but perfect." —Vivs4814f25d4

    2. Dietland

    AMC

    Dietland, based on the book by Sarai Walker, is a sharp satire about beauty standards and the patriarchy. Main character Plum is complex and human, and although she experiences a lot of fatphobia, she's never the butt of the joke. —@GrrArrgh

    3. The Vicar of Dibley

    BBC

    "It may not be perfect, but the titular vicar is presented as smart, funny and beautiful. The fact that she’s a bigger woman is not ignored, but it’s also not presented as a barrier or even a factor in any of the storylines, particularly when it comes to her love life. True, there are some jokes made (mostly visual) about her size, but it seems that the actress, Dawn French, is very much in on the jokes." —caits2

    4. Drop Dead Diva

    Lifetime

    "Drop Dead Diva really helps me when I get into a low place in my life. I love how Jane/Deb learns that your body does not define your worth, and that everyone has the potential to be beautiful. It gives a message that beauty and talent are more than skin deep." —Shelbyy43f2faeb8

    5. Glow

    Netflix

    "It features different body types but that's not at all the focus of the show. It's amazing." —HillaryJo13

    6. This Is Us

    NBC

    "Kate’s character is amazing. Her development throughout the show is incredible. She’s a real person, she loves and cries and laughs – she’s not just fat. They acknowledge her struggles with her weight – mentally and physically – throughout her life. It honestly is one of the only realistic portrayals of someone who is overweight in a movie or show I can think of." —Nicojones7

    7. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

    CW

    "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has men and women of many beautiful shapes, sizes and colours. Women fucking support each other. 'Heavy Boobs' is such a fun song. Rachel Bloom is an icon. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend for the win." —Blubberoo

    8. Steven Universe

    Cartoon Network

    "There are characters of all body types, and everyone is treated with respect and love regardless of what they look like. Steven's mother, Rose Quartz, was especially inspiring for me. She's portrayed as fat AND graceful AND a great leader and friend, which I didn't know a person could be all at once." —Janeissnapple

    9. Orange is the New Black

    Netflix

    "There are more fat babes on OITNB than most other shows put together. Also possibly the only show where you see them undressed." —@Maevemarsden

    10. Criminal Minds

    CBS

    "The character of Penelope Garcia is just 🔥😍. She's sexy, she flirts with the alpha male and he flirts back, no negative comments are ever made about her weight, and she's highly intelligent and capable.
" —@MJ_Leaver

    

    11. Huge

    ABC

    "It focuses on seven teens in a weight loss camp and shows their struggles in life. Sadly it got cancelled after one season, but the characters seemed to be treated with respect. It had potential." —Alexander Boschkov, Facebook

    12. Good Girls

    NBC

    "Retta plays Ruby Hill, and her weight is never brought up as something that defines her character. If anything, we see another character eating all the time/eating junk food. I found that very refreshing." —Mandelam

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    13. Hairspray

    New Line Cinema

    "Hairspray is one of my all-time favourite body positive stories. Not only does it have amazing costuming and the wonderful Zac Efron, but it's also a wonderful story about fighting racism and loving all bodies. Tracy Turnblad ends up with the cute Link Larkin without having to lose any weight or dramatically alter her appearance. Tracy is a beautiful fat hero who stands up for what's right and looks cute while doing it." —Bettyjomarian

    14. Ghostbusters

    Columbia

    "The 2016 reboot of Ghostbusters was amazing to me because there wasn't a single fat joke. I feel like that's really rare when you have a mainstream film with a plus-size woman in a lead role." —Kellydurgan

    15. Patti Cake$

    Fox Searchlight Pictures

    "A movie where a plus-sized girl who is not loved defies all odds and pursues her dream of become a rich and famous rapper. This story alone inspired me (I'm plus-sized) to pursue a singing career." —Amandatotaldiva

    16. Fried Green Tomatoes

    Universal Pictures

    "Weight isn’t the main plot point, but it’s about a woman (Kathy Bates) learning to love herself and taking advice from stories an old lady tells her." —Lexil45a8baa21

    17. Spy

    20th Century Fox

    "I liked how in Spy, Melissa McCarthy turned expectations around without losing weight." —@KylieScottbooks

    18. Angus

    New Line Cinema

    "Nobody else knows about Angus and that's a crime. It's funny, heartfelt and DRENCHED in '90s nostalgia (Green Day, flannels, James Van Der Beek!!). It's about a very smart, very sweet, and very overweight young man who's voted Winter Ball King as a joke, and how he decides to roll with the punches to make it the best night of his life. You absolutely fall in love with Angus, and though there are some difficult moments, by the end of the movie, you're standing up and cheering. A MUST-SEE!!" —HannahBeaMo

    19. Real Women Have Curves

    Newmarket Films

    "That movie was so far ahead of its time. Seeing a love scene with a girl who looked like me – with rolls and everything – absolutely shook me to my core. 'Wait a minute, you mean I AM still desirable even with this belly and these thighs and everything else pop culture has taught me to hate?' Permission to be beautiful and confident as a plus-sized girl was granted. America's character in Real Women Have Curves kindled a spark in me that glows to this day." —Jane E. McNamara, Facebook

    20. Life of the Party

    Warner Bros

    "Melissa McCarthy has a fling with a young fit dude. I loved how she never questioned how he could be attracted to her. She never doubted her hotness. It was awesome." —Shannah Cross Shry, Facebook

    21. Babycakes

    CBS

    "There was a sweet old movie called Babycakes that starred Ricki Lake –about a hot dude dating her and keeping it secret, then getting over it because she was awesome." —@LucindaLunacy

    22. Just Wright

    Fox Searchlight Pictures

    "Queen Latifah is amazing!" —@Yesimhotinthis

    23. Embrace

    Transmission

    "It’s amazing, and really gives a great look at how women are pressured to look a certain way in society. There are several interviews with people who deviate from society’s standards of 'beauty', but who are still obviously very beautiful and wonderful people." —Sydneyjrw

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    24. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

    @booksforkeeps / Via instagram.com

    "Contemporary romance, funny, HOT, friends to lovers. Fat girl stays fat, still gets the hot guy, and it doesn’t finish with them having babies." —@Frocksnfroufrou

    25. The World, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler

    @nikkireads / Via instagram.com

    "It really helped me come to terms with the fact that you can’t just tackle weight as a single problem. There are so many other things in your life that are worth focusing on." —Claired18

    26. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

    @elislibrary / Via instagram.com

    "While the story is not centred around Eleanor's body, Eleanor views herself as 'chubby' and 'overweight'. She comes across as a completely normal teenage girl. When I read it I was having troubles with body image, and it showed me that even though I was considered overweight, I could still be loved." —Madelynann

    27. Big Jo by Jungle Julia

    webtoons.com

    "Big Jo is an amazingly body positive web comic on Webtoons that you absolutely must check out! The protagonist is very sweet and a badass and the story is funny, cute and inclusive." —Hungrycochon

    28. Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

    @bookstacksamber / Via instagram.com

    "I loved the Size 12 is Not Fat series by Meg Cabot. The main character, Heather, is insecure about her weight and it's something that's brought up within the series, but it's not her only trait. She's still portrayed as this smart, witty and funny person. I loved that she was shown as insecure but also confident. I feel that even when we love ourselves, we still have moments of insecurity and that's okay. Loving oneself is continuous work and it was refreshing to see a character go back and forth. It was realistic." —Tanyat1994

    29. Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell

    @booksinparadise_ / Via instagram.com

    In Everything Beautiful by Simmone Howell, two misfits connect at Spirit Ranch, a Christian camp. Main character Riley is fat, but refuses to be defined by her size. She's witty and bright and all-round awesome. –@Postteen

    30. The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

    @nightowlreading / Via instagram.com

    "Molly’s struggles with her weight aren’t the focus of the novel, but they are brought up often. Her journey towards self-love really resonated with me — a lot of the issues and insecurities she dealt with, I had experienced at one time too. It’s been awhile since I’ve read that book, but I remember feeling like someone finally understood how I felt about myself. It was such a relief to not feel so alone." —Ashtonb4848a5771

    31. Faith — Valiant comics

    @blisscomics / Via instagram.com

    Faith is a Valiant comics character who is fat AND a superhero, complete with superpowers and a codename (Zephyr). —@garflyf

    32. The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil

    @sundrenchedpage / Via instagram.com

    "It was the first book I’ve ever read that made me feel seen." —@Amybythewindow

    33. Holding Up the Universe by Jennifer Niven

    @poutyreader / Via instagram.com

    "It’s an amazing book, and the way the protagonist learns to embrace her body and love herself is so relatable and inspiring." —Alliec41a11a1d8

    34. Dumplin' by Julie Murphy

    @thebookcollectordk / Via instagram.com

    "It shows that being beautiful and confident is all in your perspective. You can still get the hot guy even if you’re not a size 0. Willowdean realised she had to be happy with herself and not rely on a boy to make her happy." —Maureenr4311f2759

    35. Dirty by Kylie Scott

    http://@romance.me.with.books / Via instagram.com

    Dirty by Kylie Scott features a heroine who is initially insecure about her weight. She falls for a guy who appreciates everything about her, including her body. They have a lot of hot sex. —@rudi_bee

    36. The Summer of Jordi Perez by Amy Spalding

    @immersed_in_books / Via instagram.com

    "The main character is plus size and queer. She is my queen." —Madelynf487f41e0c

    37. The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan

    @feminist_romance / Via instagram.com

    "The Heiress Effect by Courtney Milan, which helpfully starts by giving the heroine’s measurements and then never really talks about it again because she has other shit going on." —@Callapilla

    38. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

    http://@library.hauls / Via instagram.com

    "The most incredible thing about this novel is that the heroine, Cannie Shapiro, walks the whole spectrum of emotional issues relating to her weight. From her career, to her relationships with men and her mother, to her own attitude. Cannie is engaging, relatable, and above all, unapologetically herself. I cannot recommend this book enough to every woman." —Krystenm4c95e128d

    39. Plus by Veronica Chambers

    @tashalikesbooks / Via instagram.com

    "Plus by Veronica Chambers. It gave me the impression that women shouldn't apologise for being plus size, and that all women should embrace the bodies they have. It was nice to see the main character exercising – not to lose weight, but to maintain some good habits and to build muscle. She stood up for herself, and chose what felt good to her." —Kendallraer

    40. It Will Be Hard by Hien Pham and Amos Wolfe

    t.co

    "It's super fat positive and also queer positive and sex positive AND ace positive so like... it’s the best comic ever." —@HeyAmyRolfe

    41. Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde

    @aisha_reads / Via instagram.com

    Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde explores not just body positivity, but also sexuality, neurodivergence, fandom and friendship. —@AGeekwithaHat

    42. Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker

    @helexingtonbookie / Via instagram.com

    "Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls by Jes Baker changed my life! It seriously made me think, and completely reshaped how I viewed myself." —Kayleighp482a60bbd

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    Responses have been edited for length and clarity.