“Body positivity” has become an extremely popular movement over the last couple of years. With over a million tags on Instagram, you’re bound to have come across at least one post.
What is body positivity?
Body positivity has developed as a way to combat the media’s constant portrayal of a certain type of body as beautiful. It emphasizes the beauty and equality that bodies of all sizes share, and it encourages everyone to disregard any negative or harmful comments made about their bodies.
So, what does this mean?
Every person should be able to positively view themselves. Yes, every person. Body positivity is gender neutral (however, we do see it more amongst women). Body positivity doesn’t make you vain, and body shaming is not allowed! These are the general points of body positivity.
The Controversy
Body positivity is definitely a good thing, don’t get me wrong. I’ve felt about ten times better about my body image since being exposed to the movement — but, I’ve also gained about 10 pounds since then. This brings about the controversy that comes with body positivity. Because it tells people to be comfortable with themselves, this can cause one to neglect their body’s health. It’s easy to become so comfortable with yourself that you don’t pay attention to taking proper care of your body. Yes, every body’s size is beautiful, but being overweight — or underweight — can sometimes come with health problems. Love your body, but don’t forget that weight can correlate with health. Health should be the focus and source of your body positivity. Remember this the next time you see a body positive post, and always remember that every body is different!