Revisited....Reinstated

Delta Burke As Suzanne Sugarbaker....Delta was
terribly scrutinized by the media for her
weight gain

One of them most influential actor/actress that helped me get through all the drama of my battle of the bulge days was Delta Burke and her character Suzanne Sugarbaker. I have spoken many times about being a Delta Burke Fan. But, what i would like to share with you now, is a scene out take of DESIGNING WOMEN, that truly shaped my life. Repeating these two paragraphs everyday, when i felt alone,gave me the courage to overcome what society had bestowed upon me for being real size and become the person i am today. Though the episode is directed towards women of real size, it can truly affect gay men as well.
The majority of gay men are all about vanity and are quick to judge another gay man, based on their appearance, attire etc. This one scene speaks volumes about the shame that real-size men and women are made to feel. This episode garnished Delta an Emmy Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a comedy series...an Emmy that she should have taken home that evening..

DESIGNING WOMEN
SHOW TITLE: THEY SHOOT FAT QUEENS DON'T THEY?
SCENE: Suzanne Sugarbaker is lamenting to her sister Julia that her struggle with weight has been lifelong and that people have always been trying to make her into what she is not.

SUZANNE: The point is, {being overweight} is different for women,especially beautiful women. Look at Elizabeth Taylor......All of a sudden, because she got fat, it was like------she no longer had the right to live in this country. And that's how I feel right now. Boy:Drugs, alcohol, cancer------whatever your problems, people are sympathetic, unless you're fat. And then you are suppose to be ashamed. Everything's set up to tell you that-----magazine covers, clothes------I mean, if your not thin, you're not neat. And that's it. And if looks are all you ever had.............

Julia Sugarbaker, played by Dixie Carter, gives a wonderful indignant rebuttal:

JULIA: Wait a minute. What do you mean "if looks are all you've ever had"? Suzanne, first of all, don't be a dummy. Your looks will never be in the past tense. That face speaks for itself, and it's here to stay.
Secondly, even if that weren't so, who cares? In the end, it doesn't matter what everybody else thinks about you. People are going to forget you about ten minutes after you die anyway.
The point is, you have to be exactly who and what YOU want to be. Most everybody's coasting on phony relations. People who say being beautiful or rich or thin makes them happy, people who are trying to make their marriage or their children seem better than they are------and for what? Appearances!! Appearances don't count for diddly. When it's all said and done, all that counts is what was true, and truly felt. And how we treated one another. And that's it.