By Kristen Donia —
You may have heard the term “body positive” being thrown around a lot lately. And with good reason. It appears the masses are beginning to wake and realize that there is no right way to have a body. 🙏
The implementation of change into a broken system is welcomed by many with The Body Positive Movement. Ultimately, The Body Positive Movement began in the mid 20th century, though it wasn’t until the 1960s it started to gain momentum. And if you ask me, it wasn’t until real recently that we all began to realize just how horrible we have been to one another. To claim that one demographic looks the right way is just downright ridiculous. There are so many ways to have a body. And – every body is different. If you think about the complex genetic codes that tell our bodies how to do all the things, on a day-to-day basis, our bodies are nothing short of miracles. Big, small, short, tall – miracles, every last one of them.
At the root of this social movement is the desire for everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin. The admission that no one knows what is appropriate for the next person’s body and the judgments on such, are simply, unwelcome.
Throughout the 20th century, our media culture has sought to hold up and glorify thin bodies, therefore, shaming anyone that did not fit into the narrow box they created. (*pun intended). The Body Positive Movement celebrates the notion that all bodies are beautiful and deserve respect.
Companies are now being held to a higher standard as seen recently with Victoria’s Secret. They are in hot water after, in an interview, Ed Razek, the chief marketing officer of L Brands (who owns Victoria’s Secret) gave heartless remarks about the lack of inclusivity in their annual fashion show. Read the article here.
Looking for accounts to follow that encourage more body positivity? Below are some we found and can’t get enough of!
@bodyposipanda – Author of Body Positive Power, anorexia survivor turned body positivity blogger helps her followers fall in love with their bodies.
@mynameisjessamyn – Jessamyn put it perfectly – “Body positivity is the only legitimate anecdote to our overwhelming body negative society.” Our thoughts exactly.
@hi.ur.beautiful – Daily reminders that there is no bad way to have a body.
@thebodypositive – A non-profit established in 1996 in Berkeley, CA that helps people overcome conflicts with their bodies to lead happier, more productive lives.
@thebirdspapaya– Underwent a transformation only to realize she had to transform her mind, not her body. The way she puts it “A journal of life & love after massive life change. Growing through what we go through.” You’ll want to reach through the phone and hug her, you’ll want to be friends, her sense of humor and writing style are only matched by her realness. Go check her out, thank us later.
@ownitbabe – A body image, mental health, self-love blogger who is “striving to be more confident & courageous and teach[ing] you to do the same.”
@i_weigh – A community page and movement reminding us to “look beyond the flesh of our bones” for our worth. Our weight is not our value. The “I Weigh” movement was started and the account is run by @jameelajamilofficial who is turning the Hollywood standard on its head. Our thoughts? It’s about. Damn. Time. Check out the “What Is I Weigh” in her saved stories to learn more and hold on to your bootstraps – she is empowering!
Are there accounts that you love to follow that promote body positivity? We’d love to hear about them! Comment your favorites below and your response will be sent to us.
Did you catch the first article in our Body Positive series?