Are you failing to love your body in the spirit of body positivity? Try body neutrality! It's not what the body looks like, but whether it works
Fat liberation efforts have been around for half a century
Body positivity - the art of accepting our bodies without reservation, loving them and being proud of the way we look - is nothing new. This approach has its roots in the movement against the stigmatisation of obese people that emerged in the 1960s. Back then, the social justice movement was rampant, and people who were discriminated against by the system because of how they looked were part of it. It wasn't just people with extra pounds who stood on the sidelines of officially recognised appearance, but also those with non-white skin or disabilities.
The sixties were wild, bold, radical. There was talk of radical fat liberation. Those whom society suggested were fat and ugly responded by adoring their bodies. That's when non-profit organizations were formed in America that still fight the stigma of obesity, the fatphobia and discrimination that is ingrained in the system itself. After all, obese people faced, and still face, discrimination in health care, employment, education, dating and media portrayal because of their weight.
Social networks are filled with pictures of imperfect bodies
With the rise of social media, body positivity has entered a new phase. Around 2008, black XXL models began to appear in online discussions about being excluded from the world of beauty, cosmetics and fashion and being treated differently than everyone else by brands and the media. In 2012, the hashtag #bodypositivity went viral on Instagram, giving the topic visibility and, most importantly, a very positive response.
Plus-size women were joined by people with other "flaws" and began showing their freckles, scars, cellulite, stretched skin on their stomachs, and body asymmetries. It was a relief to all who lived with feelings of inadequacy because of the hostile rules for who could be considered beautiful and successful and who could not. Well admit it, don't you have at least one post with #bodypositivity on your profile too?
Brands have picked up on the theme and used it to drive sales
But that's when the whole body positivity trend took a turn for the worse. A lot of influencers started using it to increase their visibility. Even showing up in a photo with an unretouched mole was considered applause-worthy bravery. Instead of the marginalized bodies that body positivity was originally supposed to be about, they put themselves in the spotlight. It was a kind of hijacking of a good idea, and the non-conforming, obese or deformed bodies ended up somewhere on the margins again.
The opportunity was also seized by brands who, under the banner of body positivity, began to include models in their campaigns who would not have previously given a damn about the visuals. But it was never a really fat, really huge or really somehow deformed figure. The size limits may have shifted, but not by much. When a model with a "big butt" appeared in a commercial, she only had a big butt by the standards of the modeling world, and most "normal" women would still give anything to have a butt like that. Ironically, the body positivity movement has created its own standards of beauty. As it happens, the hashtag quickly emptied out and today, when we hear "body positivity" we often roll our eyes.
Is your body working? Be happy and don't worry
A new trend has seen the light of day - body neutrality. What makes it different? Body positivity challenged people to accept their body and love it no matter what it looks like. Body neutrality shifts the focus from appearance to the function of the body - after all, it's the shell that carries us through life and allows us to accomplish incredible things! Whether it's playing sports, having babies, healing from illness, caring for loved ones on a daily basis, or working. It's not what the body looks like, but what it can do.
Experts point out that for people who have struggled with being overweight or anorexic all their lives, learning to be ok with their bodies is much easier than learning to really love and be proud of them. Instead of aesthetic impression, neutrality points are about whether the body serves us. Can I get up every day and enjoy the day? Can I keep up with the kids on a nature hike? Can I handle the stress at work when I'm leading a demanding project? If so, then some extra pounds or other "deficiencies" are pointless to address.
Neutrality points are not meant to replace positivity points. They are two different approaches and it's up to each person to decide which one appeals to them more. Being "neutral" means living in peace with your body and not having constant regrets. It's just that the appearance aspect cannot be easily removed from life. Even if you choose to do it yourself, your surroundings will constantly remind you that you are fat or ugly with their reactions. This is helped by body positivity, which teaches you to adore your fat on purpose.
