Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance: Beauty Pageant Gives Fat Girls a Big Confidence Boost

At the end of a busy day, I sat in front of the television Saturday night, my pudgy belly spilling over my pink pajama pants. For the first time in a long time, I felt OK about the extra flab jiggling around my tummy and underneath my arms. Watching "Mo'Nique's F.A.T Chance" beauty pageant on the Oxygen network gave me a needed boost of confidence to be content with the fabulous-and-thick size I'm at now. I'm sure it did the same for millions of others across the country who appreciate seeing average-size and plus-size women on national television. "Mo'Nique's F.A.T Chance," billed as a plus-sized beauty pageant, was broadcast from Hollywood, where the definition of beauty has long been one dimensional. Mo'Nique, a comedian and actress who adores her curves, created, produced and hosted the show in 2005 and followed up on that success this year. Auditions were held in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and Baltimore, Mo'Nique's hometown.

In the end, 10 women were selected and judged on their beauty, spirit and confidence - not their ability to skip a meal, the announcer said. The two-hour show opened with the Big Girl dancers, clad in Tina Turner-inspired red fringe dresses, and the contestants walking the runway in red-hot gowns. Many remarked how sexy they felt, but it wasn't always that way as they struggled to accept and embrace their bodies. Contestant Victoria Tupua, a 33-year-old from Seattle, remembered being weighed at school, when she was nearly twice the size of her classmates. Contestant Sara Barrios, a 21-year-old from Downey, Calif., talked about not making the cheerleading squad. Like the plus-size women on "Mo'Nique's F.A.T Chance," I bet we can all remember a time when we felt ugly, out of place, embarrassed, second class or invisible. And, whether we're skinny or fat, short or tall, poor or rich, all we really want is to be accepted, to be loved, to feel like we belong. Now, I look at myself and know many people wouldn't accept my fat body.

Being honest, I'm not pleased with the 30 pounds I packed on after college but thanks to Mo'Nique I'm accepting it. I know the weight is just too much for my 5-foot-1 one frame to carry. And I want to be healthy and comfortable with my body and my size. So I'm now working out daily on my treadmill to shed the weight and get into a size 10 or 12, which would still leave me with gorgeous pair of thick thighs, child-bearing hips and big black-girl butt. That's the beauty of beauty. It's up to you - not the media, not your mother, not your significant other, not even pageants - to decide what's beautiful to you, accept it and own it. For some women, that could be a size-4 body, curly brunette hair and super-long eyelashes. For others, that could be a size-14 body, hazel eyes and manicured fingernails. And for others, it could be a size-22 body, cropped blond hair and luscious lips.

The women competing for Miss FAT 2006 defined their owned beauty, whether learning how-to salsa dance, riding horses, jumping in the pool, receiving massages or sashaying in lingerie. And through show segments, the audience and TV viewers eventually learn to look past the women's shapes and appreciate and accept them as people - as mothers, dancers, musicians, make-up artists, career gals, excellent cooks, animal lovers, collectors, multitaskers, survivors. During the show, Mo'Nique continually boasted that beauty comes in more than a size two, and I found myself clapping like I was in church, listening to the reverend hit the crescendo of his sermon.

Even though I was in my pajamas, I felt beautiful as the final two contestants - Tanisha Malone, a 27-year-old forensic morgue technician from Newark and Shawnti Eaden, a 35-year-old hair stylist from Portland - stood center stage, draped in designer gowns. They smiled wide, held their heads high and never once tried to suck in their stomachs. In the end, Malone was crowned Miss F.A.T 2006. She received $50,000, a year-long contract and assorted gifts. Her emotional walk down the runway, holding onto her glittering tiara, made me appreciate every inch of my big body. A few minutes later, I turned off the television, feeling like I just left a spirited revival. Mo'Nique and her crusade for fat girls, as she calls them, taught me that confidence is sexy, whether you're a size 0, 2, 14 or 22. Amen, sistah, amen. Preach on.