Melissa McCarthy on why ‘America’s Plus-Size Sweetheart’ title is offensive

Continuing in the obnoxious tradition of categorizing people based on their sexuality, race or size, an article recently referred to actress Melissa McCarthy as “America’s plus-size sweetheart.”

“It’s like I’m managing to achieve all this success in spite of my affliction,” the Tammy star told People about her reaction. “Would you ever put that in the headline for a male star?”

Although she would have preferred a different term — say just “America’s sweetheart” — Melissa is used to dealing with way more offensive comments.

“I’ve always thought, ‘If you want somebody different, pick somebody else,'” she said. “But sure, criticism can sometimes still get to me. Some things are so malicious, they knock the wind out of you.”

She explained she never felt like she needed to change, but definitely used to be harder on herself.

“In my 20s I used to cry about why I wasn’t thinner or prettier,” Melissa said. “But I want to add that I also used to cry about things like: ‘I wish my hair would grow faster. I wish I had different shoes.’ I was an idiot… It’s a decade of tears.”

Now 43 with an awesome husband and two daughters, Melissa said she is constantly thankful for her life.

“Ben and I will have moments where we look at each other and go, ‘This is not bad at all,'” she said of her husband/creative partner, Ben Falcone. “I feel like I got hit with a lucky stick.”