Everywhere we turn, we’re bombarded with images of how we “should” look, along with unsolicited advice on achieving idealized – and unrealistic – beauty standards.
Recognizing that burden can feel even more intense in summer, Rogers Behavioral Health’s Lauren Howards and Meghan Baade:
- Explain the pros and cons of body positivity and body neutrality.
- Explore their connection to eating disorders.
- Offer six steps for improving body image.
What is body positivity?
The goals of body positivity are:
- Challenging unrealistic body ideals.
- Promoting acceptance of all shapes and sizes.
- Emphasizing the message that “all bodies are beautiful.”
On social media, body positivity is usually represented by influencers in larger bodies who confront weight stigma. They share content that celebrates it’s okay to not fit the conventional beauty standard.
With roots in the fat acceptance movement of the 1960s, body positivity has evolved into a platform for recognizing all diverse bodies, beyond weight and shape, as admirable. This includes people with physical disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities, and those with physical features often stigmatized or expected to be hidden or corrected, like scars, stretch marks, acne, and body hair.
Some examples of body positive statements include:
- My body is a gift.
- I love and accept my body just the way it is.
- I love my stomach for keeping my core strong and my body upright.
What are the benefits of body positivity?
We know that repeated exposure to the “thin ideal” in social media contributes to body image dissatisfaction and the development of eating disorders. Research also demonstrates that prevention programs that foster a healthy definition of beauty and challenge the thin ideal are helpful for promoting resilience in young women.
Additionally, a recent study demonstrates that body positive images that depict “normal” people of varying weights improved overall body satisfaction and reduced weight concerns among young adults.
Body positivity advocates challenge the idea that conforming to conventional beauty standards is necessary for a happy and meaningful life. At best, body positivity can protect against the development and maintenance of eating disorders. It may help people in diverse bodies know that they’re not alone and empower them to share their voices.
What are the criticisms of body positivity?
Critics say that body positivity shares traits with toxic positivity, suggesting that people must always feel beautiful and be fully accepting of their appearance, avoiding any cosmetic changes which could be seen as conforming to beauty standards. In a Psychology Today article, author Susan McQuillan is critical of body positivity, saying, “It’s actually up to you whether or not you want to accept or feel positive about your body at any given time or under any circumstances.” In other words, if we tell people how to feel about their bodies, we’re taking away their autonomy. Just as telling someone with depression to ‘just be happy’ is unrealistic, so is insisting that everyone must always see themselves as beautiful.
What is body neutrality?
The goals of body neutrality are:
- Reducing judgments—good/bad, right/wrong—when it comes to describing our bodies.
- Experiencing the natural ebb and flow of emotions people feel regarding physical appearance instead of calling all bodies inherently beautiful.
- Challenging the myth that appearance determines a person’s worth.
For many people with eating disorders, it’s not realistic to love or admire one’s body when they’ve been at war with their appearance and weight. Body neutrality encourages people to express gratitude for how their body supports them and honor their body regardless of how they feel about their appearance.
Some examples statements of body neutrality are:
- Bodies come in all shapes and sizes.
- I’m more than just my appearance.
- My legs allow me to walk with my dog
- My body is deserving of nutrition even if I dislike how it looks.
What are the benefits of body neutrality?
We know we have a long way to go before people can reject the concept of a “right” and “wrong” way to care for bodies. There are many television shows that sensationalize dramatic weight loss, like My 600 lb. Life and 1,000 lb. Sisters. By fixating on outward appearance, these shows contribute to a culture where people increasingly use type II diabetes medications like Ozempic for cosmetic weight loss. This obsession with achieving an ideal body fuels a diet and fitness industry worth over $5 billion in the U.S. alone.
In working with adults in the residential eating disorder recovery program, we see them at war with themselves, punishing their bodies for not fitting into an expected mold at the cost of their physical and emotional wellness. We support body neutrality. We may ask people in our care to look in a mirror and share functional or neutral statements about their bodies rather than voicing criticisms. The care team is also trained to adopt a non-judgmental stance when discussing weight/shape/size or nutrition topics to model this mindset.
What are the criticisms of body neutrality?
Critics of this movement feel that body neutrality prevents people from acknowledging the parts of their body that they truly enjoy or admire.
What steps can a person take to heal their body image?
We recommend six steps people can take to improve their body image:
- Take some time to determine where you currently fall on the body image spectrum (body critical -> body positive).
- Determine which approach (body positivity, body neutrality, or a mix of both) is most beneficial for you.
- Become more aware of diet culture and unrealistic beauty standards in social media and reflect on how they may influence your body image.
- Surround yourself with people who don’t engage in conversations that veer into body bashing or diet culture.
- Create your own body neutral or body positive affirmations that resonate with you! Post these on your desk or your mirror as a reminder when those critical thoughts creep in that your body is not the enemy and is simply trying to support you, even if your brain interprets it differently.
By Lauren Howard, MS, LPC, therapist and Meghan Baade, MS, RD, CD, lead dietician, Eating Disorder Recovery residential care for adults at Rogers Behavioral Health
Rogers offers body image support group
Rogers is proud to offer Embracing body positivity and building self-confidence virtual support group to girls ages 14-18. Email supportgroups@rogersbh.org or call 262-646-6336 for more program information or to register.
Part of our summer series, Sunny Days, Healthy Minds
Rogers has new offerings designed to fit busy summer schedules and address a variety of mental health concerns – without interfering with vacations and other beloved summer activities. Click here to learn more.
