Criticism. Comparison. Judgment. If it’s not the disapproving look on the person next to you, it’s the snide comments coming from your “friends “or coworkers. And if it’s not that it’s probably just you, looking at yourself in the mirror and silently hating your body.
Body shaming is real.
As a woman who is living and working in this 21st century, I constantly hear criticism. People don’t hesitate to say something mean about others. They don’t care if you hear them or even see them.
So, naturally, just like the rest of the people out there, I’m constantly compared to other women around me.
It doesn’t even have to be a comment pointed directly at me to actually make me feel insecure about myself. And it doesn’t even have to be a comment from someone else to make me uncomfortable in my own skin.
Sometimes, I am the only person who makes it hard for myself.
Even though I’ve worked on myself long enough to actually accept myself for who I am, I cannot deny the fact that there are still some insecurities inside of me that make me feel like I’m not good enough.
So, it got me thinking.
Why are we so afraid of what others might say or think about us?
Why do we let society dictate our self-image?
Are we that desperate? IS THAT ALL THERE IS?
Is validation really the only thing that is worth living for?
Instead of appreciating the diversity between us, accepting people for who they are and loving their imperfections, we let negativity trap us into a vicious cycle of hatred and force us to criticize everything that feels unknown and peculiar to us.
We compete with one another. Until we reach the ‘top’. We don’t enjoy our flaws, we despise them. We don’t perceive them as something that makes us unique human beings, we’re ashamed of them.
That is why we need body positivity as a movement.
We need to understand that all bodies are good bodies. We have to get it through our heads that perfection doesn’t exist. That the media will never stop poisoning our minds by dictating society’s standards about beauty. It will never stop promoting thinness and it will never stop associating beauty with flawlessness.
Body positivity is not just about promoting ‘fatness’, or being unhealthy, it’s much more than that.
The thinly veiled argument that to accept all bodies means to disregard healthfulness has no basis in reality. I mean, let’s get real here.
If health was people’s general concern, I assume they’d also worry about their friend’s drinking problem or their anger management.
It’s sad, but people don’t really give a damn about other people’s wellbeing and health. Especially not the ones who believe that shaming is just a helpful tactic to remind others to take care of their bodies and maintain their health.
Body positivity is about accepting and loving yourself and others unconditionally.
Even if a body is ugly, even if it’s imperfect, flawed, weird to you. Judging, shaming and criticizing those differences will never do any good. It will only rob the person of their self-confidence and decrease their will for life.
Besides, what you consider ugly might be the most beautiful thing to someone else. What you consider imperfect might be a perfection for another person.
The body positivity movement is not just about being kind to ourselves, but also about extending that kindness and acceptance towards every person we see.
What matters the most is accepting people for who they are regardless of what their choices are, regardless of whether or not their bodies are ideal and regardless of how beautiful they are.
Because beauty is relative. If you ask me, it is a truly irrelevant value.
Body positivity is not about accepting those are healthy and beautiful. It’s not even about deciding who is beautiful and healthy. It’s about embracing our imperfections and realizing that everyone is flawed, but at the same time worthy.
Body positivity is about equality.
