TLC announced a reality show about 'mixed-weight' couples called 'Hot and Heavy,' and people are upset

TLC

• TLC is facing backlash for a new reality show called "Hot and Heavy," set to air on January 7, about the relationship trials and tribulations of three "mixed-weight" couples.

• Many negative reactions criticized the show for featuring only women as the "heavy" partner.

• Other issues raised included the title of the show, the term "mixed-weight," and the production of a show that appears to exploit larger people for entertainment.

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TLC announced a new reality TV show about three "mixed-weight" couples on Twitter this week, and even though it hasn't aired, it has already sparked outrage.

Much of the backlash focused on the idea that the show, "Hot and Heavy," set to premiere on January 7, was baiting negative attention toward these real-life couples and contributing to sexist beauty standards.

TLC

Posting a trailer for the show, TLC said: "For these couples, love knows no size. See the highs and lows of their mixed-weight relationships on the series premiere of #HotandHeavy Tuesday, January 7 at 10/9c."

Twitter users responded by calling the show "tone deaf" and offensive.

TLC

One reply questioned why only women were featured as the "heavy" partner.

"So... a show exclusively about 'men who love plus-size women' but not women who love plus-size men," the tweet said. "Why not both ways, @TLC?"

Echoing the Curvy Wife Guy, the show appears to hold up the male partners as regular men who are battling to be with their partner despite her size, rather than simply loving her for who she is.

In the short trailer, the couples — Joy and Chris, Kristin and Rusty, and Adrianna and Ricardo — are all seen dealing with separate issues related to the women's size, but it includes no mention of relationship problems that the men might be bringing to the table.

TLC

Some said that with no representation of a woman dating a larger person, the show appeared to be peddling the sexist idea that it is "shocking" for a man to love someone bigger than him.

One person said: "I want 'mixed-weight' to die a fiery death. Because overwhelmingly this is applied to fat women in relationships with less fat or thin men. Meanwhile pop culture has been giving us fat men with thin wives as a norm for like every comedy sitcom or romcom?!?"

Another said: "Of course, only the women are heavier. Let's retitle, 'How Can Men Possibly Love Fat Women?'"

Others highlighted the questionable title and the use of the term "mixed-weight."

One tweet said: "This is not okay and that title is horrible."

However, even the show's branding seems to hammer home the "heavy" element of the show.

TLC

TLC did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on the reactions to the show.

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