Do you feel as though you have good body positivity? Do you love yourself and the body that you are in? I know it can be hard to answer those questions, because for me it depends what day it is. Some days I wake up feeling great, I love myself and I embrace who I am. Others I wake up feeling the total opposite. And thats totally normal.
We are living in a world where there is one type of body that is admired by the masses and one type of body that is socially acceptable. And if our bodies don’t fit that standard it can leave us feeling less worthy, or not beautiful enough. Which should not be the case at all.
It will take years before the beauty standard is changed in the world, because it involves changing years of damage thats already been done. The media has a huge part to play in this, as they are responsible for alot of what we consume digitally. If they only show one body type or one race on their magazine covers they are not properly representing what everyone looks like. And this can be so damaging.
WHAT IS BODY POSITIVITY?
Body positivity refers to the assertion that all people deserve to have a positive body image, regardless of how society and popular culture view ideal shape, size, and appearance.
Some of the main reasons why the body positivity movement started include:
– Challenging how society views bodies
– Promoting the acceptance of all bodies
– Helping people build confidence and acceptance of their own bodies
– Addressing unrealistic body standards
Definitions and information from – verywellmind.com
IT IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH
Being uncomfortable in your skin and not loving who you are can have a really detrimental affect on your mental health. It can make you feel unworthy and unloved. And people often find they compare themselves to others. This needs to stop. Truly loving yourself and embracing who you are can work wonders for improved mood and mental wellbeing.
We should love who we are and the way we were made, and this is why we need the body positivity movement. So that people who don’t fit the societal standards that have been set, still feel beautiful and loved for the way they are.
IT’S SETTING AN EXAMPLE
Not only is body positivity needed for us, it’s also needed for future generations. It’s setting an example to kids and teenagers. As they grow they will learn to challenge societies standards and pave a new way of thinking and loving each other.
It’s so important that we teach the next generation that body positivity is good and is okay. You are allowed to love your body if It doesn’t fit the box that bodies have been put into. It’s also important because one day they will have kids, and their kids need to know this too. It’s almost like a chain reaction. We need to keep it going so that this societal judgement ends with our generations.
CHALLENGES SOCIAL BEAUTY STANDARDS
Imagine if we lived in a world where we were all represented, how different life would be. We would all feel included and loved and praised for who we are. Rather than shamed and ridiculed. And this is why we need the body positivity movement for both men and women. The beauty standards of the world are so high that they aren’t achievable.
This is why we need body positivity, we need as many people as we can to let the world know they love and accept themselves as who they are and the skin they are in.
What are your thoughts on the body positivity movement?
Do you feel like you have a good relationship with your body image?
Olivia x
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Whilst I agree that we all need to be body positive, I do feel that the movement has moved away from it’s original aim and become too saturated. You see pictures of people working out, taking supplements or who have what society deems acceptable within it’s warped beauty standards using #bodypositivity. It’s moved away from a movement started by black marginalised fat women, to being very white centric. I agree that it does need to be about all bodies, and it is important but feel that we need to do some work to get it back to what it was originally about. This is a really interesting article about the movement – https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/longform/a38300/women-of-colour-left-out-of-body-positivity/ xx
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I agree with you. I have seen how so many plus size black women’s photos on Instagram have been taken down but yet the mid-size white womens photos have been allowed to stay up. Discrimination and body shaming are still at their highest. We have alot of work to do!
This article was more about being positive in who we are and our bodies, rather than the movement thats been created. I’ll give the article a read! xx
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I really liked how you tapped into how when we are happy in our bodies it improves our wellbeing. And it’s true that men need to be included too.
Sadly the industry is so warped, and completely not on you or me to fix it. xx
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You’re right! The industry is so so warped and it would be impossible for us to fix it. Its gone way too far now. It would take alot of people in high places to reverse what’s happened xx
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Yes that’s the bottom line are you comfortable in your own skin I don’t care what anyone else thinks about me or my appearance! I hate plastic people
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Yes!
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I tried to sign up to your list but there was not available to me I strongly believe in your body positivity movement I believe in holistic health body mind and spirit very good topic for the times were going through with this epidemic God Bless America 🇺🇸 and goodbye to Chumpism!! #Kingjames52
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Hi, please visit my site directly and it should allow you to sign up > https://olivialucieblake.com/2021/01/13/why-body-positivity-is-important/
🙂
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This is so important. As a young woman, I was overweight and really struggled with body image. Now that I’m in my 50s, I realize I’ve earned every scar, every wrinkle and every gray hair. We should always focus on health over how we look. Some of these women we see with “ideal bodies” are very unhealthy. Thanks for sharing this message Olivia!
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You’re so right. You can have a healthy looking body on the outside but be really unhealthy on the inside, and vice versa. And thats the scary thing that not alot of people understand!
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I used to have a great relationship with my body image. Until I had to start taking prednisone for my asthma. I have struggled the last year and a half with how my body has changed as a result of the medication. I look in the mirror and don’t recognize myself through all the swelling and physical changes. I tell myself everyday that I am still the same Amy underneath. Some days it’s easier to accept and other days I still struggle with my body image. But I hold onto the hope that these changes are reversible when I can safely come off this medication.
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It can be hard when you don’t have any control over it, when you need those meds to actually keep you alive. I think we have to remember what you said, sometimes we might look different on the outside but who we are on the inside will always be the same.
Much rather have a beautiful soul!
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Agreed!!! Being plus sized most of my life – left me feeling so insecure about myself. All bodies are beautiful!!
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You’re right! we all are!
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Love this! Been working on body positivity through affirmations!
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Love this!
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I love this post! It is an important question and topic, especially for today. I’m not unlike most people. Social media plays a big role in my view of body image. I get so frustrated sometimes when I look in a mirror when I’m walking through Kohls. I leave the house feeling great with my body but the moment I look at myself, my confidence diminishes. My saving grace is positive self-talk. I need to keep convincing myself that I love my body the way it is. It is a battle. That is not to say I can’t always improve my wellbeing with good eating habits and consistent exercises. You are spot on that the beauty standards social media placed on this world is not always achievable and frankly, it shouldn’t be achievable. Everyone is molded differently. My 5’3 180 lbs body is considered obese to some. To me, it is where I want to be. I’m built a little more stocky than others. Great post Olivia!
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It makes me so sad that social media does this to alot of us. We constantly get unrealistic body types pushed in our faces all the time and its made alot of women and men feel inadequate.
I really hope you can overcome those feelings, I too do many of the things you mentioned. It can be hard to overcome those ways!
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For me, the change came with growing older and accepting that this is me no matter what. Another blessing for being older …
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You’re so right! We are lucky that we age and that many changes come with an ageing body!
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🙂
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Great piece of writing!!
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Thank you!
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I shared your post on my blog!
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Thanks so much Ena! 🙂
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A beautiful post thank you so much
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Thank you!
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I’ve gotten better over the years, but when my mood is down it’s so easy to fall back into the negative mindset of how horrible the stretch marks are, the extra roles around my waist, the big thighs that don’t look quite defined. Once that mindset is allowed, it is a downward spiral. I agree that you really have to love yourself regardless of your shape or size. It’s really important for our mental health!
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You’re so right. Your mood plays a big part with body image. It can be easy to let your feelings win and tell you negative things about yourself. I think it happens to the best of us!
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A very powerful post!
Thanks for sharing. It’s so important for everyone to know that the people on social media and in magazines don’t even look like that in RL!
Miamii / https://explorewithmii.com/
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I absolutely love this. I’m the biggest I have ever been and the happiest I have ever been. I am classed as very obese on the BMI scale. I had therapy re an eating disorder 6 years ago and discovered an awful lot about dieting, self esteem, confidence, trauma and it’s effects on the body. I have damaged my body with endless diets over the span of 20 years, losing weight and the gaining again with a little extra every time. I don’t take any medication asides from folic acid and vitamin D (a certain type of anaemia runs in the family), have no health issues usually associated to being this size yet know people that are the ideal weight who have numerous issues and are are quite unhealthy. I do my best to be active and eat what I want and my weight has stayed steady for the past 4 years. I stopped gaining weight when my body reached its new set point.
I get fed up with doctors putting my weight before any requests for help eg ACL replacement required due to slipping in the shower on top of an old sporting injury, gynaecology issues etc. They certainly don’t help those who are struggling with weight issues or body positively as it’s usually the first thing they mention and insist we try to change. I understand that for some it is a health issue but when you already feel like you don’t quite fit into the norm because of your size it’s like another slap in the face that causes more negativity and pressure to conform.
I don’t take it from them anymore. I suggest they read a book ‘secrets from the eating lab’ by Dr Tracy Mann and give them a brief explanation. https://www.secretsfromtheeatinglab.com/
Few of them have heard of her and seem taken back by hearing something that contradicts what they are saying. I then ask them to treat me and my symptoms the same way they treat someone who presents with no apparent weight issues. Body positivity is a personal issue that can be made much worse by social media. We can choose to ignore it and be our own champions and encourage others, knowing that on bad days we dislike our body image just as much as the next person. I accept that the reason for this (for me) is usually associated with difficult times that affect my mood. These moods aren’t usually connected to my size but I can turn it inwards and make it so should I choose to.
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Sorry for the rant. It’s just something I’m quite passionate about and see so many beautiful people in my work who beat themselves up because of it.
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I totally agree, and feel more can be done for body positivity. Especially for the younger generation. I am plus sized myself and took a very long time to not worry too much about what I don’t like. And just to be proud and not be harsh on myself. I’m have not really spoken much about it, but could maybe tap into body positivity in the future. As some topics take me awhile to translate into written form and to be understandable. Great post
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Growing up, I was very insecure with my body. This was mostly due to the unrealistic standards that the society has set for all of us girls. As a child, I didn’t realize that most pictures were being photoshopped and I was naive enough to believe everything I saw online. However, my relationship with my body has gotten so much better since last year when I had so much time in my hands to read and educate myself. Investing time to self-love and self-care really helped me. From experience, I can say that the body positivity movement had a large impact on improving my mental health and I’m happy that the new generation gets to live in a time where people are speaking more about this! Thank you for sharing xx
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I feel like it’s so important to remember that our relationship with our bodies is something that naturally fluctuates, just like our confidence and self-esteem ☺️ that’s something that I’ve personally learned, as I used to hold myself to such unrealistic standards that I had to love the way my body looked a l l the time or not at all – lovely blog post by the way ! I love your posts about body image 💕
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The unreal beauty standards are crushing the hopes of many everyday. Is there really a need to stereotype beauty? I believe beauty comes in all shapes,sizes and colours.
While we collectively battle such evils that strain our social fabric here’s our experience on the matter.
#MyWordsKraft
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