One year ago I walked into a meeting for SEBA, Spartans Empower Body Acceptance. It was the only club on campus that promoted body positivity, and I was excited to learn more about this movement I was hearing so much about. The meeting was fun; we listened to Lizzo and talked about loving ourselves–all good ways to be body positive. Since then, the club has expanded its focus from positivity to justice. This year, one of the club’s first events focused on weight stigma, which is the discrimination of those in larger bodies. The club’s social media posts reference systemic oppression, eating disorder awareness, and Health at Every Size. During National Eating Disorder Awareness Week in February, SEBA sought to amplify the voices of those in marginalized communities who have suffered from eating disorders.
The changes in SEBA represent a larger shift in the culture of social justice movements. Body Positivity owes its roots to Black feminists, but like many movements, the history of body positivity has been watered down. It is wonderful to love one’s body and feel empowered in one’s skin, but the Body Positivity Movement has always been about much more than that. When we think of the movement, we tend to picture white women at the forefront. History tells a different story, and this context is important to understand the movement. SEBA has spent the last year actively working to highlight the meaning behind the movement.
SEBA’s President Shikha Advani says, “the diet culture that we are living in and the thin ideal is rooted in racism and anti-Blackness. We’d be doing a disservice to the Black feminists who have fought against this by not educating others on these subjects.”
Along with changing the narrative of the Body Positivity Movement, SEBA seeks to raise awareness of eating disorders. Despite what many people believe, people of all sizes, races, and ethnicities may be affected by eating disorders. The goal of the club is to share the perspectives of people who are overlooked when it comes to eating disorders.
“Traditionally, when we talk about eating disorders, people in marginalized communities are left out of the conversation. We used National Eating Disorder Awareness Week to bring in people like Kimmie Singh, a South Asian Health at Every Size dietitian, to come speak about how to make eating disorder treatment more equitable,” Advani said.
SEBA is a club that is putting in the work. Every member is passionate about acceptance and awareness. If you are interested in the Body Positive Movement, eating disorder awareness, Health at Every Size, and diversity, then SEBA is the club for you.
Follow SEBA: @msuseba on Instagram
Follow Shikha Advani: @nutrition_by_sa on Instagram