The Normal Heart and “sickly” body: The case of Matthew Bomer’s extreme weight loss

ABSTRACT Actors often lose or gain weight to satisfy specific esthetics for their roles. When Matt Bomer reportedly lost forty pounds for The Normal Heart, public discourse went well beyond the typical explanation for the weight loss. That discourse explained Bomer’s body transformation as a part of his sacrificial duty to the gay community. Rhetors positioned Bomer’s weight loss as a sacrifice to educate, envision, and justify a united gay community that would continue to act to address the many challenges the community continued to face. Yet, the case of Bomer’s extreme weight loss also serves as a cautionary tale about how exclusionary norms, including whiteness, ageism, and ableism, circulate within rhetorical efforts to build and sustain community. The essay provides insights into the relationships among bodies, public memory, commemoration, and community.