‘The Simpsons’: New Breast Cancer Survivor Character Is Praised by Fans

Martin Holmes October 25, 2021, 9:06 am

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Simpsons introduced a brand new character who is a breast cancer survivor, and fans quickly fell in love.

Sunday’s episode of the long-running sitcom introduced Dr. Wendy Sage, a hypnotherapist who had a unilateral mastectomy. As a result, the character has only one breast and shows a visible scar on her chest.

In an official Instagram page created for the character, Dr. Sage writes, “When faced with mastectomy, I rejected the idea that people would see my one-breasted self as shameful, ugly, “not finished” with treatment, or less feminine. I am none of those. In fact, I feel proud, smokin’ hot, and whole. A boob is a small price to pay for more time on this amazing planet.”

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A post shared by LessThanTwoBreasts (@lessthantwobreasts)

The character was created and voiced by Renee Ridgeley, an actress, writer, and breast cancer survivor, who is also married to Simpsons showrunner Matt Selman. “Sage shows up as exactly who she is now,” Ridgeley told Yahoo Life. “By living openly as a one-breasted woman, she sends a message of acceptance and wholeness celebrated by individuals in marginalized groups.”

Sage, you have big fans in the #flatvisibility community! Thanks for boldly rockin your #uniboob so that we can see the effects of cancer treatment with pride. If we can see it, we can be it @real_wildfire #portscar #chemocurls #wholewoman @mattselman @jaliza90 #bcsm

— Renee Ridgeley (@reneeridgeley) October 25, 2021

Viewers instantly took to the character and the message behind it. One fan tweeted, “This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month done well,” while another wrote, “The Simpsons has a character with 1 boob and a port scar and I’m in love.”

“Um can we take a moment to applaud this? I had to rewind a few times to confirm…this is amazing!” wrote a fellow viewer. “Awesome! From one uniboober to another,” said another fan.

Many thanks to #TheSimpsons. This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month done well. pic.twitter.com/W70M516TvR

— Magwillti (@magwillti) October 25, 2021

the Simpsons has a character with 1 boob and a port scar and I’m in love

— 🧡liese💜 (@frangipancakes) October 25, 2021

Awesome! From one uniboober to another 💕

— Surviving Pink (@survivingpink_) October 25, 2021

Um can we take a moment to applaud this? I had to rewind a few times to confirm…this is amazing! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

— G. Whitman (@grndylw) October 25, 2021

The episode itself, titled “Lisa’s Belly,” focused on body positivity after Marge describes Lisa as looking “chunky.” Many viewers praised the show for how it handled the delicate topic.

“Lisa’s Belly was a great episode with a very important issue, how the words of an adult can hurt children,” wrote one fan. “I loved how they solved the problem by introducing Dr. Sage cancer survivor, another very important topic.”

“I basically only watch new Simpsons out of muscle memory but the one tonight, which is about how casual body-talk by mothers can give daughters a complex, is one of the best I’ve seen in years,” tweeted another viewer.

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Meanwhile, one impressed fan wrote, “I am FLOORED by the latest @TheSimpsons episode. Absolutely FLOORED. Great work, team!!!!”

Lisa’s Belly was a great episode. with a very important issue how the words of an adult can hurt children, I loved how they solved the problem by introducing Dr. Sage cancer survivor, another very important topic.@mattselman @reneeridgeley @jaliza90

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

— Alex Ortega (@Alex_Simpsons23) October 25, 2021

I basically only watch new Simpsons out of muscle memory but the one tonight, which is about how casual body-talk by mothers can give daughters a complex, is one of the best I’ve seen in years.

— Mario Bava’s Zack Sunday (@BudrykZack) October 25, 2021