Really, it's bad enough that there's a movie in development based on a non--fiction book that pretty much just makes women feel bad about not being as svelte as their French counterparts. But now the media-- or, at least E! Online-- is panicking over the fact that muscular Hilary Swank will gain weight to play a role in French Women Don't Get Fat-- you know, so she'll look like all those tubby American women who bought the book to begin with.

The article quotes a "source close to the production" saying ""It's no sweat. She's played a man before. She can handle anything." Yup, because daring to gain "20 to 30 pounds" is pretty much the same playing the lead in the controversial Boys Don't Cry, which remains the gold standard for representing transgendered people with an ounce of dignity. I'm sure every woman who is 20 pounds overweight feels her struggle is similar to that of a transgendered kid who was raped and murdered.

I mean, I have nothing particularly against Hilary Swank, despite the fact that she has two more Oscars than Kate Winslet and isn't remotely more special. And for all I know Swank had nothing to do with releasing the information that she's gaining weight for a role. But it pisses me off that this is a big deal, and it particularly pisses me off that the E! article spends the whole time fretting over Swank's weight-- she's too thin now, but soon enough she'll be too fat! Holy God!

You know, men gain weight for roles all the time and it's rare that anyone freaks out. If anyone is going to wring their hands over Hilary Swank's choices, try questioning her decision to take part in this ridiculous-seeming movie to begin with.