What happens to the “body positive” movement in the 21st century?

The movement body positive entered our lives with everything: plus size models appear more and more on magazine covers, brands organize inclusive fashion shows with the participation of models with “nonstandard” personalities and the word “diversity” does not disappear from the pages of the media. It seems that everything that involves this posture is good news. However, things are not as clear as they seem.

O awesome.club decided to find out what the movement is body positive in the 21st century and why this phenomenon causes so much discussion and divides people into completely opposite sides.

Body positive is a feminist movement whose main objective is to convince people to accept themselves as they are. His motto is: “My body, my rules”. The goal is to fight against the beauty standards imposed by society, free people from complexes and start talking without fear about each of them.

The main idea of ​​the movement is that everyone has the right to be respected, regardless of appearance, something very human and correct. A person may not meet the standards of beauty that society demands, but they deserve the same acceptance as those who “don’t fit”.

the creation of body positive started in 1967, with a campaign against public discrimination of obese people and the fight for their rights. Later, activists began to demand respect not only for people with obesity, but also for those with disabilities, scars, burns, transgender people, etc. Which seems very logical, since in this case we are talking about characteristics that cannot be changed. So, the body positive helps people overcome their appearance conflicts so they can live full and happy lives.

Beauty standards tend to vary according to sociocultural requirements. The 1990s were the golden age of skinny and standard supermodels. heroin chic by Kate Moss, and such an aesthetic could not remain unanswered. Women are tired of the long-legged celebrities that appeared in photos published in magazines, of unattainable ideals of beauty and of expensive and quite controversial plastic surgery.

Some time later the body positive came on the scene, with its rejection of harmful standards of beauty. But unfortunately, no middle ground could be found. Society has realized that anorexia, for example, is a life-threatening disease, and for some reason it has gone from one extreme to the other.

Instead of fighting for the rights of people with a non-standard body or appearance, a fight against slender bodies was unleashed.

of body positive🇧🇷 The idea of ​​accepting the person, as well as the tolerant attitude towards their appearance, was replaced by contempt for the physique and especially weight. The reluctance to take care of the body has become an ideology. Overeating and lack of physical activity are not condemned but acclaimed, and reminders of a healthy lifestyle are viewed with hostility. Popular websites dedicated to body positive they even prohibit users from mentioning the negative effects that obesity causes on health.

In addition, it presents itself as a norm. As a result, for some reason, it feels like it’s become demeaning to be attractive. Although initially stated the principle of “being ugly is not shameful”, now the phrase has changed to “it is shameful to be beautiful”. Kate Moss, weighing 52 kg, was replaced by Tess Holliday, weighing 155 kg. The problem is not the weight but the health of each one, both physical and mental. The new body positive exerts the same control over the female body and the setting of beauty standards as before, but in a different way.

the popular magazine Sports Illustrated became famous around the world for her photographs of skinny models, but currently actively collaborates with personalities plus size🇧🇷

Let’s forget about appearance. We’re talking about being overweight being a big health risk factor. This is a medical statement that cannot be ignored. A person who is very underweight, like a person who is very overweight, puts their health at risk.

It is necessary to recognize the fact that obesity can be a choice, but it cannot be treated only as a matter of taste: it is also a pathological condition, which has its own code in the International Classification of Diseases — E66. If obesity were simply an aesthetic detail, it wouldn’t be a problem. However, according to the WHO, nowadays it has become a worldwide epidemic, which brings health risks.

The internal organs of overweight people are covered by a layer of fat and increase considerably in size as they are overloaded. The endocrine system also works at the limit of its capacity, and the bones and joints suffer as they are forced to bear the excess weight. In addition, overweight people are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

It is true that some people who are overweight are not responsible for their body condition, but in most cases, unfortunately, it all has to do with caloric intake beyond what is necessary and consumption of unhealthy foods.

Excess weight should never be a reason to be ashamed, but it is also not necessary to promote obesity, because with it, numerous health risks arise. We are talking about a disease that needs medical attention.

This is the true value of body positive: identifying a problem, but at the same time ensuring that the person does not feel humiliated or discriminated against.

In addition to the fact that this body positive modern can be harmful to health, there is another downside. Activists in the movement often disapprove of famous women who have lost weight, changed their appearance in some way, or simply been featured in a magazine for being considered physically attractive. For example, when Emma Watson, a former supporter of feminism, participated in a photo shoot for the cover of the magazine vanity fair with her chest half-naked, she was immediately accused of hypocrisy and treason.

Another defender of body positive, actress and director Lena Dunham, was heavily criticized for losing weight. In this case, the artist stressed that her goal was not to look thinner, but to improve her health. “People started saying: you are a hypocrite and we thought you were a woman body positive🇧🇷 I am, but I realized my body was changing, it’s something that happens sometimes,” Dunham said in an interview.

Currently, Dunham says he has lost weight due to illness. She has regained a few pounds and claims she feels comfortable and happy about it. It turns out that some advocates of body positive seem to want to deprive women of the right to dispose of their bodies as they wish. For some reason, the freedom to take care of your physique and lose weight doesn’t fall under the basic principle “My body, my rules”.

O body positive It’s a wonderful movement, but you have to remember that its objective is to “like you and your body, regardless of how you look”, that is, to avoid prejudice of any kind. Ideas for a healthy lifestyle or body positive they don’t have to be opposites, they just require a combination.

The same applies to women’s desire to look attractive. Can they put on makeup because they like it? Of course yes. A girl can follow the principles of body positive, but at the same time exercising and eating properly? Without a shadow of a doubt!

It’s important to learn to understand your body’s signals so that you feel comfortable with it. In this case, it is not the numbers that matter, but the state of health. Also, remember to go to the doctor and get checked out often. O body positive It’s not a ban on vanity and beauty, it’s the ability to take care of your appearance and be responsible for your health, regardless of standards.

What do you think of the movement? body positive and your values?