What comes to your mind when you hear about body positivity? There is no doubt that you are familiar with the term (at least on some level). Despite increased awareness about body positivity as a movement, there is still some confusion around it due to many different definitions and interpretations. In this article, I explain all you need to know about body positivity in a nutshell.
history
The term refers to the assertion that all people deserve to have a positive body image regardless of prevailing societal norms and standards, which helps people to build confidence. However, body positivity is not all about shapes and sizes. The movement also recognizes that race, gender, sexuality, and disability have a certain impact on our judgment.
Body positivity has its roots in the fat acceptance movement of the 1960s, in which the main focus was on ending fat-shaming and discrimination against people based on size and weight. However, the term “body positive” was not introduced until the 1990s. The movement was formally created by Connie Sobczak (who suffered from an eating disorder) and Elizabeth Scott (a psychologist) in 1996. Body positivity in its current form emerged around the beginning of 2010 and focused on challenging unrealistic beauty standards. The original focus on acceptance changed and the new message was “all bodies are beautiful”.
Psychology
Negative messages about appearance are not only harmful but deeply damaging to many people. That is why body positivity was founded on positive psychology, which focuses on improving the current well-being of a person. Instead of focusing on illnesses and limitations, body positivity encourages people to celebrate their strengths. Feeling positive and accepting of one’s appearance has a positive impact on one’s health. In fact, psychological research associates body positivity with improved self-care behaviors. It reduces the risk of eating disorders and lowers the risk of depression.
criticism
As with every other movement, body positivity has been an object of criticism. Some critics suggest that body positivity promotes unhealthy lifestyle and obesity. Bodies that do not fit the scale are simply the result of laziness. Another criticism of the body positivity movement is the impossibility to feel good 24/7 about one’s body, which can cause feelings of failure and worsen one’s self-esteem. The movement has also been criticized for the lack of inclusivity and for putting too much value on appearance (leaving out other elements of self-perception).
Now that you are equipped with theoretical background of body positivity, it is up to you whether you want to implement its values and practices in your own life. However, remember that you are lovable and worthy as you are!