Why I Will Be Boycotting "Desperate Housewives"

I have always loved "Desperate Housewives." I think the show is full of talented actors and actresses that are funny, charming, delightful, and smart.

I haven't, however, always cared for the show's story lines. Still, I have stuck with them and a remained a faithful viewer, until now.

None of the controversial stories in the past have disturbed me quite in the same way as one that is upcoming. It is, in fact, the reason that I will not be watching "Desperate Housewives" this fall.

The plot has to do with Eva Longoria's character, Gabrielle, and the two new daughters that have become a part of her life now that the story has moved five years into the future. Not only has Gabrielle put on a few pounds, but the show has also opted to "fatten up" (not my words; those of another TV critic) her little girls.

One of the story lines will have to do with Gabrielle thinking about forcing her four-year-old daughter into a strict diet so that she won't, as some have stated, "be such a porker." I find the whole concept both appalling and utterly disgusting.

It is bad enough that Longoria's character will be subjected to smart aleck comments about her weight. Commercials have shown various characters taking pot shots at her for the offense of daring to move from a size minus zero to a more reasonable size four.

In a world where little girls are constantly subjected to cruelty because they don't fit into a narrow definition of what is considered "beautiful," this story line is the last thing that is needed. It will set back the small gain that has been made over the last few years.

My beautiful granddaughter was a chunky baby. She did not over eat. She didn't eat the wrong things. She played actively. She did everything that was healthy for her. She was just a little heavier than average.

As she has gotten older, her weight has begun to stabilize naturally. She is a stunning child. She has always been a stunning child. A little weight, or a little less of it, has not affected that one way or the other.