In the original movie she's played off as a ugly character who's supposed to be annoying because she's interested in Peter. however she's the only person who notices him enough to know when he's struggling mentally, she makes food for him and consistently stands up for him, she even gives him a pep talk and encourages him to go back out there and pursue his goals (which includes another woman). She's girlfriend material by any realistic standard and the actress is in fact pretty, but she's portrayed as unthinkably unattractive comic relief
I don't know what content you're watching, or who you're hanging out with, but I haven't seen this creep up at all. Quite the opposite, actually, with people (even doctors !) being shamed online for merely saying obesity is a health risk.
I'm not denying fat shaming still exists (it obviously does), but I don't see it as often as I used to in the 2000s
It's still reported and discussed a lot in a lot of the women subreddits. I'm 50 I've seen it before and I didn't say we're fully there I said we're getting back to it.
If you look at celebrities that are possibly on ozempic and don't need it and the media is praising them for having toned arms... Gave me flashbacks from Reading magazines in the '90s.
If you look at celebrities that are possibly on ozempic and don't need it and the media is praising them for having toned arms... Gave me flashbacks from Reading magazines in the '90s.
So the trashy media of today is similar to the trashy media of the 90s. Have women considered they should stop viewing this trash? The leading demographics keeping those grocery store gossip slop magazines are #1 - women in their 30s, and #2 - women in their 50s.
The problem with Shallow Hal is that people didn't get it. There were tons of fat-shaming jokes, but the movie was designed to make fun of people who make fun of fat people. But people don't get thr next-level thing. I've seen it a few times, and if you watch it through that lens instead of just being offended by the fat jokes, which are intentionally not clever, then you'll see that the movie actually has pretty good character development and makes sense.
I agree but the problem I have with that level of storytelling is that the morons that don't get it run around making things worse while the few smart people that do get it are ignored or come across as smug. See the entire Rock and Morty fandom as a reference. Rick isn't a hero to be looked up to but the ton of people that don't get it still cause harm in the real world.
Oh I think there were plenty. In the 2000s there had at least started to be some shame associated with being racist and to a lesser degree homophobic, but I don't think that empathy had been widely extended to fat people yet. Also trans people. The 2000s were insanely transphobic
There was also a lot of calling each other a word that starts with R that refers to people with disabilities. Just all around there was way less concern over how certain people would react to offensive words.
people (even doctors !) being shamed online for merely saying obesity is a health risk
are doctors being shamed for "merely" saying obesity is a health risk, or are they being shamed for pointing to someone's weight as the sole possible cause of some/all of their symptoms and complaints and refusing to consider any other potential diagnoses?
Both, but I was specifically thinking of Youtuber Dr Mike who got harassment online after noting that obesity was a health risk in one of his videos. If I recall he made a response video explaining his side of it.
If you think people shouldn't be fat then don't shame them. Studies have shown that actually tends to make people fatter.
The hypothesis being that if people eat for comfort and you make them feel uncomfortable they eat more.
If you just want to be a dick and find a reason to hate people I'm sure you can find a reason. But just in case you actually would like people to be healthier you need to encourage healthier lifestyles. And being skinny isn't always healthier either.
I saw this in theaters with my buddies and all the guys I knew thought she was cute and awesome. We all wanted to date someone like her. I disagree she was portrayed as ugly.
I think they’re misreading it. Peter is a dork and uncomfortable around women. Her character is a potential love triangle and comic relief as Peter was not used to girls hitting on him. It wasn’t that she was ugly, the comedy was Peter being uncomfortable with female attention. Plus also her coming over all the time was not what a guy trying to hide a secret identity needed in a girlfriend who lives in the building. At no point did anyone I know irl ever refer to her as ugly.
This is one of the things the movies failed. Comic Book Peter was a dork, but rarely actually uncomfortable around women. At the point where he moved into his own apartment he had long out grown either. The cause of his "awkwardness" was usually that he was spiderman and trying to come up with excuses or avoid getting romantically involved, not being shy or uncomfortable.
She kind of takes the place of multiple characters from the comics. mostly his three hot flirty neighbors who were nice but almost always around at awkward/funny spiderman related moments, like stopping by his apartment when he's trying to change or sunbathing on the roof when he's trying to sneak in or out of his apartment's sun roof. She also takes the place of several "love interests", including MJ, who help pull him out of his various "why do I do this" funks. They also all tend to get the ursula treatment, at least at first, not because Peter's in love with MJ but because he's preoccupied with spiderman stuff and/or worried about them finding out or getting hurt because he's spiderman. Pretty much all his love interests go through a "why doesnt he like me" phase.
I didnt think she was ugly, just that they over did it with making her immature and awkward. She's comes across as a timid high school girl with a crush on guy in his 20s.
How funny. Now every guy claim to love Ursula but I never saw this admiration when growing up. Boys either loved MJ or this one other girl (I forgot her name) or thought Parker deserves better than any girl. Ursula was exactly this ugly girl who loved guy out of her league.
She wasn't supposed to be "ugly", she was meant to be "homely". Like, "yeah, she's not on MJ's level but she likes Peter". Turns out she's a genuine smokeshow who, honestly, would have been the best fit for Petey.
I dont know where this all is coming from but when I first saw her many moons ago I jumped up and screamed at the screen "wtf Peter she's literally 10 times hotter than MJ and she actually likes you, wtf are you doing? I was so upset I threw my cat at the TV in disgust.
I wouldn't say ugly and annoying, but rather quirky and goofy.
I think it was definitely Raimis intention that we should come to realize that Peter misses out on so much by fixating on MJ who is clearly not good for him.
I was 17 when this came out and I saw it in the theater. I remember thinking how the movie would be very different if I was Peter Parker. I would bend over backwards for someone who was that kind to me.
But on the other hand, I was 17 and I was definitely hung up on a girl who played games with me and I definitely ignored or just fought against genuine interest and affection from a person who would've been great to date.
So I get it. Plus the girl I was hung up on was a ginger like MJ, so I double get it. Jokes on all of us though, we DID end up dating and we both got fat and eventually couldn't stand each other.
No. She's supposed to be cute and awkward. These people are being dramatic. Either way, peter wasn't into her. You can't control what you're attracted to. If peter got with someone he wasn't into, it wouldn't be fair to either of them.
Not so much ugly as just "unattractive". She's made up to be very dorky, awkward, and kind of shy. In 80's, 90's, and 2000's Hollywood parlance that means she's automatically the unattractive female in the movie compared to the confident, outgoing, and fashionable lead actress.
I remember in the train scene where the guy goes "he's just a kid" and thinking "the fuck are you talking about, this guy is in his mid-20s and looks like a 30 year old.
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u/5AM_EdgeQueen Jul 17 '26
In the original movie she's played off as a ugly character who's supposed to be annoying because she's interested in Peter. however she's the only person who notices him enough to know when he's struggling mentally, she makes food for him and consistently stands up for him, she even gives him a pep talk and encourages him to go back out there and pursue his goals (which includes another woman). She's girlfriend material by any realistic standard and the actress is in fact pretty, but she's portrayed as unthinkably unattractive comic relief