Body positivity is the act of affirming and appreciating your body for exactly what it is. This means loving your body even if it doesn’t align with cultural or societal constructs.
To start, let’s discuss what body positivity looks like. Then, I’ll cover some simple ways to help you start living a more body positive lifestyle.
What is Body Positivity?
Body positivity is a term that’s thrown around a lot these days — but what does it really mean?
Body positivity is a radical and necessary shift in how we see ourselves and others. Rather than holding each body to a certain specific standard, a body positive person asserts that each body is valid and worthwhile because of (rather than in spite of) its uniqueness.
For example, beauty and worth are often unfairly conflated with certain features, especially in women. While these cultural expectations can shift over time, one of the most common is centered around body weight.
In a truly body positive society, these expectations would not exist. Instead, each person within that community is afforded the agency to exist and thrive, no matter their body type and size.
So How Do You Become Body Positive?
Becoming body positive isn’t always as simple as just making the decision to do so. There are so many factors, from social media to movies to the news, that encourage each of us to feel discontent with our bodies, and it’s only too easy to be self-critical.
But each of us is capable of achieving body positivity. Here are a few ways to get started on loving your body a little more.