Pitch Perfect Stereotyping Part 1: Fat Amy

In the movie 'Pitch Perfect' there are many stereotypes that aren't normally shown in most teenage movies. For example the character Fat Amy.

Fat Amy played by Rebel Wilson
(http://www.blackfilm.com/read/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Pitch-Perfect-8.jpg)

Fat Amy isn't your usual "fat girl" stereotype that you see in movies. In most movies we see the fat girl who is insecure about her weight and wants to change the way she looks. There are two typical stereotypes of overweight female teenage characters. One being the one we see often, the insecure, shy girl who stays in the background. Or we get the funny, sarcastic girl who's constantly being heard. Fat Amy (obviously) comes under the second stereotype. In Pitch Perfect we have the character Fat Amy (who has chosen to be called Fat Amy).

Scene from the movie when we first are introduce to Fat Amy
(http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/55/41/cf/5541cfc5edfd802e01aa39c16146e168.jpg)

Fat Amy is the type of "fat girl" character that makes a joke out of her weight and is quite confident about it too. She even sometimes comes across as quite cocky about herself as a person. Rebels character dominates most scenes she is in with her snarky, hilarious comments about either herself or the other characters in the movie. 

In most teenage movies we are shown that the girls in these movies have to buy the most expensive clothes and accessories to fit in, however in Pitch Perfect, Fat Amy wears normal and casual clothes throughout the entire movie showing the audience she's not going to change for anyone. And even so she is accepted even though she didn't do these things.  Throughout the movie she is shown surrounded by her friends, whether it be the Bellas or a group of guys she hangs out with at the pool. I think that one of the reasons people have accepted her the way she is, is because she doesn't feel sorry for herself and isn't miserable all the time. Instead she is comfortable about the way she is and isn't afraid to boast about herself in a humorous way.

In some of the scenes we can see her throwing out some nasty comments towards Cynthia Rose about being a lesbian, like when the Bellas were having a confessions moment and Cynthia Rose was about to share her confession Fat Amy calls out "lesbihonest."

Video from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC8pJYLVgv0

But she also shows a soft and shy side in a couple of scenes that you wouldn't expect to see. For example in one of the Bellas rehearsals when they are deciding who should solo, Beca's name gets put forward, Fat Amy tries to hint that she want a solo and says "someone else might be equally as excellent... and they might be shy and not wanna come forward and say the wanted a solo." So although Fat Amy wanted the solo, she didn't put Beca down whilst trying to get one. Also when the Bellas are just about to perform at the finals, Fat Amy has a soft moment and says to the group: "Even though some of you are pretty thin, you all have fat hearts, and that's what matters." Whether or not this was just a soft moment or it being insecure about her weight, Amy shows us that she almost has two sides to her: The funny, jokester side and the soft, sentimental side.

One of the reasons that over-weight characters do not feature in teen genre films is because the stereotypical teenage girl is a skinny beautiful girl, and if they are featured they are normally insecure and are only in the movie to be back up characters and support the main characters. For example all the overweight characters on mean girls are all there to sing Regina's praises and lift her up, they were all insecure and shy and were just wanting to be like her.

What is a stereotype?

The dictionary meaning (http://dictionary.reference.com) of the word stereotype states that a stereotype is a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held a simplified and uncommon by members of a group. This basically means it is a way of categorizing people by the way they act or look.

Stereotypes are used in the media all the time, not only on T.V. programs but also in movies, magazines and more. When stereotypes are used in movies and T.V. programs, the reason is quite simple. In movies and T.V. programs, the producers don't have hours and hours to build up an entirely new character. When they use a stereotype we can immediately relate to that character. For example: the ditzy blonde, the smart Asian, the snobby private school girl. Since the stereotypes are easy to relate to it makes the movie or T.V. program easier to watch. In T.V. programs, using stereotypes is the one way they get more viewers because then the show is easier to understand.

Not only is a stereotype something we use in the media, but something we use in our everyday life. When you meet someone for the first time, their body language, the way they talk, the way they dress and the way they walk could all affect the way you see them. Within the first 15 seconds you already have an opinion of them, this opinion is often is made without have a full conversation! For example you may be walking down the street and see a kid caring all his books and think "wow! he's such a nerd!" but actually there might be a story behind it all.

Some negative stereotypes even carry dangers to them. This is not only a downfall of stereotypes but it could cause the person you've stereotyped to be bullied because of it. An example of this could be linked back to most teenage movies. Linking back to the nerd stereotype in teenage movies, if you were to think about it, you never see a cool, popular nerd which often results in the nerd being bullied and feeling bad about himself and his self-esteem goes down.

Here's a link to a story regarding the "nerdy" kid. Its a bit of a read, but worth it.

http://www.jaredstory.com/you_never_know.html

Thanks for reading this!

Feedback is welcome :)