Why body positivity can be harmful and how to avoid extremes

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Bodypositive managed to defeat the worldwide craze for thinness. But he did not stop in time and approached the other extreme.

What is body positivity and why is it good

Bodypositive is simply translated - a positive attitude towards the body. Anyone, even categorically imperfect. Here are four body positivity achievements that have changed the world for the better.

1. Body positivity has expanded the concept of beauty

It's hard to imagine, but just 8-10 years ago, a plus size model on the pages of an authoritative glossy magazine or on the catwalk of a famous fashion house was simply unthinkable. Today, the owners of non-standard figures participate in advertising campaigns of the most famous brands in the world.

Even the niche, sporty Sports Illustrated, presenting a collection of swimwear, attracts SI Swimsuit makes a splash at Miami Swim Week with swimwear line for every woman girls and women of "modelless" appearance. And it looks beautiful, not provocative. See for yourself.

2. Taught people to respect other people's bodies

Body shaming is bad. If you call someone “fat”, “ugly” or other appearances related to appearance, today it characterizes you more than another person.

3. And to your own body too

Appearance is secondary. Much more important is who you are on the inside. Thanks to educational programs launched into the world by body positive activists, people have learned to accept and love themselves as they are, without suffering from what cannot be changed.

4. Saved many from anorexia and even death

On the Internet, you can find many projects on the topic "How body positive saves lives." Australian Model And Founder Of Project WomanKIND, Jessica Vander Leahy, On How Body Positivity Saves Lives, Australian model and founder of the WomanKIND project Jessica Vander Leahy says:

One lady thanked me for my positive posts about the beauty of any body. She said that my messages helped her to recover from the eating disorders that caused her to be hospitalized earlier. “Thank you for saving my life” - these words made me cry.

Why body positivity can be harmful

Today, more and more often the idea is heard that the motto “I love myself the way I am” leads to negative consequences. Here are just a few of them.

1. Body positive increased the number of obese people

Scientists at the University of East Anglia have noticed an interesting trend in Normalization of Plus Size and the Danger of Unseen Overweight and Obesity in England. As plus size became more and more a variant of the norm, the number of overweight people also increased.

More precisely, this way: people simply did not consider themselves complete, although this was exactly the case. And since the weight does not seem superfluous to a person, then it is not necessary to fight with it - it is logical, right?

According to the scientists of The ‘body positivity’ movement is making people blind to their weight problems, because of body positivity, people stop noticing the very real problem of extra pounds.

2. Relieved of responsibility for health

Every adult is responsible for his own health. This thesis, in particular, means the following: when certain physiological indicators deviate from the norms, a person takes his body to a doctor in order to establish the causes of problems and cope with them.

But what if the norms are blurred, and the body-positive is repeating in your ear: "Appreciate yourself to anyone, even if you have grown to size XXL, even with shortness of breath, even with pimples"? In such a situation, people begin to ignore the signals of the body. And they do not notice that it is harmful to their health.

3. Has caused an aggressive attitude towards thin

Initially, body positivity taught tolerance. But today this trend often turns into tolerance only for overweight people.

Has Fat Acceptance Movement: A Force for Tolerance or Legitimising Unhealthy Choices become acceptable? calling someone a few pounds lighter than yours "disgustingly skinny." Or give people who are involved in fitness and who monitor nutrition, offensive nicknames like "fitonyashka".

Meanwhile, this is a serious social problem that turns a healthy lifestyle into something shameful.

How to build a harmonious relationship with your body

In order for body positivity to bring joy and not problems, it is important to observe the following rules.

1. Learn to feel your body and its needs

Someone is comfortable in a weight of 50 kg, someone feels great at 80 kg - and this is normal. It is not normal if you weigh 50 kg and suffer from constant weakness. Or, on the contrary, with a weight of 80 kg, you suffer from regular shortness of breath and high blood pressure.

Listen to how your body is feeling. If not, try to help him.

Ask yourself from time to time, “Am I eating a cake because I want to enjoy the taste of it, or am I trying to eat stress this way? Or maybe I'm just bored? " Or: "I'm waiting for the elevator, because I really don't have the strength to go up to the second floor on foot, or is it laziness and the habit of moving as little as possible?" Such questions bring awareness to the relationship with the body.

If your body needs something - movement, release of tension, tactile contact - don't ignore those needs. It is important to recognize them and find a way to satisfy.

2. Remember: you are responsible for your health

If you are physically unwell, talk to your doctor. Do not close your eyes to the problem, do not dismiss it under the motto: "I am just like that, nothing can be done." In most cases, health is your responsibility as an adult.

3. Respect the choice - both yours and those of others

The way we look, what we dress, how we position ourselves is most often our choice. And others are not obliged to accept this choice.

If your appearance violates some generally accepted laws in society, be prepared that someone may reject you. In turn, people around you may also not like you. However, they, like you, have the right to live according to their own convictions. And this right must be respected. This is one of the most important laws of body positive.