GUEST COLUMN: 4 Positive Messages From the "Dumplin'"

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4 Positive Messages From the 2018 film Dumplin'

by Devin Caldwell

Dumplin' is a 2018 film from Netflix based on the 2015 novel of the same name. It tells the story of a plus-size teenage girl from Texas named Willowdean Dickson, Will for short, who has a strained relationship with her beauty-queen mother. The mother is disappointed in Will's size and only refers to her by the nickname "Dumplin'." Lucy is Will's aunt and kindred spirit who encourages her niece in a love for Dolly Parton music. 

When Lucy dies, Will goes through her things and finds an old beauty pageant entry form. Touched that her aunt wanted to compete in the pageant but never took the step of applying, Will stages a "protest in heels" against superficial standards of beauty and enrolls in her mother's pageant. The other contestants soon follow suit, and the pageant turns into an open revolt against beauty norms as large and petite alike join together in solidarity.

Dumplin' has received acclaim for body-positive messages, but the good lessons don't stop there.

Diversity Is Beautiful

The message of the movie can be extrapolated to mean that it's okay to read articles such as Le-Vel Thrive reviews in the interest of bettering yourself. It is also okay if you love and value yourself just the way you are, whatever your shape and size. You shouldn't have to endure shaming or discrimination because of body type, nor should you have to live up to other people's expectations of you.

However, the movie's embrace of diversity extends beyond body types. Among Lucy's things, Will also finds a flyer for her favorite bar and decides to visit. There, she finds three drag queens who were friends of Lucy's who serve as allies to Will and her friends in the pageant. Without making overt statements about it, the film sends a very clear message about LGBT+ visibility and pride.

Everybody Is a Swimsuit Body

That is the message that Will and her best friend, Elle, share with the audience during the swimsuit competition of the pageant. Will is plus-size, Elle is not, but the two band together to demonstrate that a swimsuit body is a body with a swimsuit on it, and the crowd reacts with love and approval. Will's support system runs the gamut of girls of all body sizes and personalities. She builds self-love with their unconditional support.

People of All Sizes Are Worthy of Love

It is rare to see a love story with a plus-sized female lead, but that's exactly what Dumplin' is. A lot of people who experience body shame, whether because of size or some other factor, feel self-conscious, which can cause them to second-guess whether they are loveable or worthy of love. Will experiences these feelings as well; her initial reaction to a kiss from her crush is disbelief and doubt that a guy like him would really be interested in someone like her. By the end of the movie, Willowdean fully realizes her self-worth and is ready to accept love with confidence.

Mentors and Role Models Are Important 

Will's mother is disappointed in her because of her size. As a result, Will doesn't receive much support from her. However, Will's aunt Lucy, who is also plus-size, shows her the unconditional love that all children need to thrive and that Will is lacking from her mother. Lucy serves as a role model whom Will can look to in forming her self-concept.

However, mentors and role models do not have to be people who are close. Dolly Parton serves such a role in the lives of both Lucy and Will. As Will finds her role model in her aunt, Parton once described herself as the surrogate aunt of the entire country. She contributes songs to the soundtrack, and her quotes encouraging self-esteem underscore the movie's message.

Conclusion 

The last few years have seen a push towards greater representation and inclusivity in the media. However, despite the fact that the majority of women in the United States wear at least a size 14, the entertainment industry has largely ignored that fact. Dumplin' hasn't fixed the problem by itself, but it is a step in the right direction.