Body Positive Movement

The Body Positive Movement is a feminist movement that encourages people to adopt more forgiving and affirming attitudes towards their bodies, with the goal of improving overall health and well-being. Whether people are nurturing their bodies and maintaining their weight, or finding a place in life where they are comfortable through working out, or changing their lifestyles to find a better attitude, the body positive movement focuses on building self-esteem through improving one's self-image. The body positive movement targets all body shapes and sizes.[1] The movement is not only about working out and striving to be positive and creating a better lifestyle for oneself, but deals with health as well. According to Connie Sobczak and Elizabeth Scott, founders of the Body Positive organization, "Health, as defined in our model, recognizes the interconnectedness of physical, psychological, and emotional needs in human beings."[2] A debate within the movement surrounds the question of whether social media sites, including Instagram, Facebook, and blogs,[3] are helping or harming people's perceptions of their bodies. People involved with this movement challenge themselves daily to learn how to grow and love themselves to the fullest.

History

Body Positive Logo

The Body Positive organization was formed in 1996 by Connie Sobczak and Elizabeth Scott.This movement aims to help people overcome conflicts with their bodies so that they can lead happier and more productive lives. The movement itself aims to inspire youth and adults to value their health, unique beauty, and identity so that they can use their vital resources of time, energy, and intellect to make positive changes in their lives and the world.[4] According to their website, Connie and Elizabeth founded this organization together because of their "shared passion to create a healing and lively community that offers freedom from societal messages that provide anguish for people dealing with body issues".[4] Connie Sobczak is a mentor, writer, educator, and award-winning video producer who had an eating disorder in her teen years which in turn inspired her life’s work. According to the organization's website, the purpose of this movement is to build a society that focues on changing the world and not physical appearances. In 2014 Sobczak published Embody: Learning to Love Your Unique Body which emphasizes self-love and acceptance of genetic diversity in body size.[5] The movement itself has sparked much attention as various other organizations aim at helping young girls to promote self-acceptance and love of their body image as well.

Definition

"The Body Positive teaches people how to overcome conflicts with their bodies so they can lead happier, more productive lives."[2] Self-love and appreciation is the Body Positive Movement's goal to better oneself. The Body Positive Movement organization strives to encourage females to stay positive. It is with the help of the Body Positive Movement that females are inspired to value their health and beauty and to make positive changes in their own lives and the world.

The movement aims to make females comfortable in their body, regardless of the negative aspects.

Similar Body Image Movements

There has been research that focuses on the relationship between girls' and young women's bodies and images in "the media."[6] Projects, movements, and other organizations have been working to change the way young girls and women look at themselves in terms of their body image as well as self-image. Problems that arise from females constantly criticizing their weight and body image can lead to anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

One movement is the fat acceptance movement, which stems from the fat feminism ideology.

The Adipositivity project aims to "promote the acceptance of benign human size variation and encourage the discussion of body politics through a visual display of fat physicality".[7] The ultimate goal of Adipositivity is to broaden the definition of physical beauty.

Another social movement based on appearance and weight is Thinspiration, or the pro-ana movement. This exists mainly as a non-judgemental environment for anorexics; a place to turn to, to discuss their illness, and to support those who choose to enter recovery.

These social movements are just a few of many that are working to promote self-acceptance at any age and any weight.

In the media

Model Ashley Graham

Sports Illustrated released three covers for their annual 2016 Swimsuit edition—all featuring women with different body types. "What defines beauty today? The truth is, times have changed and one size does not fit all," Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editor MJ Day said in a press release.[8] "So we don't have just one cover, because beauty doesn't take just one form."[8] One of the three covers features "plus-sized" model Ashley Graham; a size 14. Graham is the first plus-sized model to be featured on the Swimsuit edition. Graham has been the face of body positivity since her Lane Bryant #ThisBody ad campaign.[9] Sports Illustrated wanted to celebrate all different body types. Graham "has long been an advocate of body positivity", telling TODAY in an earlier interview that "there is no right size and there is no wrong size."[8]

The iconic Barbie doll has undergone major changes to reflect realistic body proportions. Mattel Inc., the company that manufactures Barbie, announced a brand new line of Barbies to represent figures of "real women." Previously, "studies have linked early exposure to ‘unrealistically thin’ Barbie dolls to the development of unhealthy body image in young girls."[10] The size and shape of the traditional Barbie is unrealistic and can only be attainable through plastic surgery. Therefore, the company has decided to release three different shapes: curvy, tall, and petite to represent the diversity of women’s body-types. Barbie no longer has the traditional thigh-gap and super-skinny figure. "Mattel seems to have jumped onto the body positivity/diversity bandwagon," said Ravneet Vohra, editor of Wear Your Voice.[11]

See also

Involved personalities

References

  1. ↑ "Does The body positive Promote Health?".
  2. 1 2 "The Body Positive Movement".
  3. ↑ "Thinspiration".
  4. 1 2 "About Us".
  5. ↑ "Embody: Learning to Love Your Unique Body".
  6. ↑ Coleman, Rebecca (June 2008). "The Becoming of Bodies". Feminist Media Studies. EBSCOhost. 8 (2): 163–179. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "Adipositivity".
  8. 1 2 3 "TODAY Style". Today.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  9. ↑ "Shape". Shape.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  10. ↑ "Mashable". Mashable.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  11. ↑ "San Jose Mercury News". MercuryNews.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
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