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“Remember Me Different”: Kelli and an Exploration of Plus-Size Characterizations in HBO’s Insecure
I want to remember her as more than just a punch line, and instead as a complex character
Insecure on HBO is one of my favourite shows.
One of the reasons why I love watching Insecure is because it resonates with my life. Like many (most? all?) Millennials, I am insecure about many things, including my personal life. I obviously can’t speak for everyone, but I believe that to be its main appeal — that the show is relatable.
The show is also empowering. On this one show, we have seen Black women take ownership of their sexuality in a way I have not seen on any other show. We have seen Black women take ownership of their careers in a way I have not seen on any other show. We have seen threesomes, and gay characters, and Asian love interests, and we have even seen plus-size characters — which is especially welcome since I identify as a plus-size woman myself.
I don’t want to sound… ungrateful? It’s not to say that I’ll take whatever I can get by way of Black visibility on TV. It’s just that I’m so happy that this show exists and I am too busy celebrating its existence to expect it to cover all bases and solve racism, sexism, heteronormativity, and all other “isms” at the same time. I’ve been hearing murmurs about there not being enough LGBTQ2+ representation (no trans people in particular), and the lack of condoms used whenever the characters have sex, among other criticisms. While I think we ought to rightly assess and analyze and criticize all media, I recognize that sometimes we can ask too much of our favourite shows — and especially of breakout shows with majority Black writers and Black actors. I don’t think it fair to doubly-tax these shows with jumping the high hurdle of existence and shouldering the burden of meeting all of our expectations around representation and public health. It’s too much pressure to put on just one show.
