Weight is a sensitive subject for Little Women: Atlanta star Ashley “Minnie” Ross — and tonight things come to a head when she suffers an emotional meltdown while considering undergoing a dangerous weight loss procedure.
The moment comes as her friend and co-star Samantha Ortiz and Minnie’s mother Tammy try to talk Minnie out of having the procedure over fears it could end badly. When her mom confronts her, saying she understands how she feels, Minnie says: “You don’t understand — because you’re not a little person mama.”
She adds: “Every day I go through a struggle with being big, with my breathing — I am trying my best.”
When Minnie stands up and starts to walk out, her mom tells her she’s “acting like a child”. But Minnie says: “The simple fact is I confided in both of you about the situation, about getting this procedure done, and then it’s like I’m damned if I do, damned if I don’t.”
Breaking down into tears, she adds: “You all don’t know how hard it is for me to exercise. You don’t know how hard it is for me walking into a room, and seeing people talking about me — ‘oh she’s breathing hard, oh she’s fat’. And when I saw this procedure I was like ‘oh cool, this can happen for me, this is a good thing for me.”
When Sam tries to get her to sit down and talk it out, Minnie refuses — accusing her of going to speak to Tammie behind her back.
Minnie says in an interview with producers: “My mom has no idea what it’s like being an overweight little person, and I don’t need Sam and her teaming up against me right now. Sam is supposed to be my friend, and she goes behind my back and portrays me like this?”
Little Women: Atlanta airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Lifetime.