The body positive movement stems from the fat acceptance movement in the ’60s. It spurred a lot of reactions from medical professionals and society in general, saying that the movement was ‘hazardous’ and actually promoted the opposite.
Fast forward to 2017, body positivity is slowly losing its true meaning. But what is it, exactly?
Personally, I have not fully grasped the idea behind body positivity. Is it about being contented with our body’s current state? Is it about embracing our flaws, whatever that means, and just settle for what we have? In an article published by Dazed magazine, they talked about how this body positive movement was stolen from the hands of plus-sized men and women, claiming that it was never theirs to begin with.
So how has it lost its meaning?
For one, some advertising companies and brands have twisted this movement into a catalyst that enabled them to sell more stuff (take this campaign from Spanish brand Zara, for example). Second, body positivity should apply to every body type. Whether plus-sized, athletic, or skinny, the same label must apply to all. Because if not, that’s where body shaming comes in.
The body positive movement should be seen and treated as a safe space for misfit bodies, celebrating their physique and making peace with them. The goal should be to unite, and not divide. It should make you do more, and not just settle. The cultural stigma of needing to look and feel a certain way should be disregarded, because at the end of the day, you’re in charge of your body. Will you take care of it? Or leave it as it is?
To learn more about body positivity, catch the second leg of #Preen Sessions this Sunday, May 21, at the SM Makati Ground Level Concourse, or via Facebook live streaming from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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