In the quest to gain more confidence, I found myself flooding my IG feed with as much body-confidence content as I could find. After weeks of trying to digest the idea of being “proud of my tiger stripes”, I gave up trying to convince myself that I was an animal. My attempt at improving my body image was not working. The term “body positivity” has been around since the 1960s but became popularized in moder- day media since 2012.
Understanding the Term “Body Positivity”
Body positivity has been said to trace back to 1963 when the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA), founded by Bill Fabrey, was established. The National Eating Disorders Association has defined it as “a movement created by and for people in marginalized bodies, particularly fat, black, and disabled bodies.” In its modern form, the movement focuses on unrealistic feminine beauty standards. There has been a significant shift within the movement from weight-acceptance to the idea that all bodies are beautiful.
Understanding Body Neutrality
The term “neutral” refers to an impartial view – not supporting either side of a particular scenario. Extending from this definition, body neutrality refers to a midline approach between body positivity and negativity. It is centered on acceptance and respect for the body you have – as opposed to love or distain. The term “body neutrality” was popularized in 2015 by Anne Poirier, an intuitive eating and eating disorder specialist. She began using this phrase as a more realistic goal for her clients when tackling their negative body image and food struggles.
Why Body Acceptance Could be More Realistic
Social media is flooded with content surrounding body positivity, with over 4 million posts under the term. The popularization over social media broadened the meaning of it, which unknowingly lost track of its core purpose. While the basis of body positivity deserves to be platformed, the movement has shifted in some ways from the normalization of marginalized bodies to something more whitewashed and toxically positive. The online representation of body positivity leaves those struggling with crippling body image feeling guilty for not being able to dramatically alter their mindset. Social media has been pivotal in the newly awakened romanticization of physical traits that were abhorred for decades. The internal transition faced by someone who has lived under this idea is not as easy as it seems online.
Body neutrality is rooted in the acceptance of the body in which you live in. If you have spent years struggling with your body image, it might feel inauthentic to switch from a place of dislike to a place of endearment instantaneously. Taking time to accept the body you exist in, without attaching any feelings to it, might be an easier step towards a more positive body outlook.