Leave it to Shonda Rhimes to ignite a firestorm of debate with a love story. "Bridgerton" Season 3 took the ton (and the internet) by storm, not just for its steamy moments and scandalous gossip, but for a romance that dared to defy expectations: the blossoming relationship between the witty and curvaceous Penelope Featherington and the dashing Colin Bridgerton.

"Simply Not Hot?" The Penelope Problem

While many viewers swooned over Penelope and Colin's slow-burn romance, some corners of the internet cried foul. Zoe Strimpel, writing for The Spectator, didn't mince words, declaring Penelope "simply not hot" and questioning the plausibility of Colin falling for a woman of her size.

Strimpel's comments, dripping with thinly-veiled fatphobia, ignited a firestorm.

Can a woman who doesn't conform to Hollywood's narrow beauty standards capture the heart of a handsome and wealthy gentleman? According to Strimpel and those who share her views, it seems the answer is a resounding "no."

“In the cruel visual semantics of the screen, poor plump Penelope may be set up to win her man," Strimpel writes, "but will she win her audience?"

This statement lays bare the insidious nature of weight bias.

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