The Shift From Body Positivity to Body Neutrality

The idea that you should “love yourself” has been preached for years. We are taught to “love” our bodies and be positive about them, talking negatively about ourselves is frowned upon and shamed. In the context of sex, we are taught that confidence in our bodies is key, that if we feel self-conscious, we will have “bad sex.” The body positivity movement, an unofficial social media campaign that bases on loving your body no matter what, had good intentions, it has slowly turned to something far less inclusive. This article will look at the origins of ‘body positivity,’ and the way it has become flawed as time has passed, as well as discuss the increasing conversations around body neutrality. 

The body positivity movement is more commonly associated with the late 2010s and boom of social media thanks to the tagging of photos with #BodyPositivity on Instagram. Whilst it is true that body positivity was picked up in the late 2000s, it actually began in the 1960s. In New York City, the “Fat Acceptance Movement” had begun, with the fundamental concept to campaign for the normalization of bigger bodies in society. The previous founding of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) also boosted this interest in “fat liberation.” NAAFA states that their central philosophy was to “change society, not ourselves.” Again, while  this movement started off well, there were obvious flaws and acts of prejudice that we can still see today. NAAFA chair Tigress Osborn recalls that “many white activists believed that because Black communities and other communities of color seemed to be more accepting of fat people, that meant fat people of color simply didn’t need fat activity.” This is an entirely false notion which can still be seen today in the body positivity movement. Developments in the growth of media allowed for the spread of the body positivity movement, plus size models were now appearing on billboards in Times Square as well as campaigns appearing on social media such as Tess Holliday’s #EffYourBeautyStandards campaign in 2013. 

Social media allowed for the body positivity movement to be reignited by women of color; plus-size blogger Stephanie Yeboah claims that this was revolutionary, that it changed her life. This inclusive movement was, unfortunately, short lived and the exclusivity seen in the 1960s began to resurface. As the body positivity movement grew, women of color, women with disabilities and trans women were being pushed from the spotlight—and in their place were conventional beauty standards. Social media became saturated with plus-size advocates, but these were typically white women and more than likely no bigger than a size 16. Many clothing brands also tried to hop on the movements bandwagon: whilst plus-size women would appear on adverts and advertisements, the sizing was not at all inclusive. One example is Everlane, a brand that claimed it was inclusive in its advert, only to have the largest size be an XL. Yeboah explains that the movement has transcended to a mere buzzword and claims “it has alienated the very people who created it. Now, in order to be body positive, you have to be acceptable fat—size 16 and under, or white, or very pretty. It is not a movement that I feel represents me any more.” This idea of an acceptable level of fatness holds true, you are only allowed to go up to a certain size before being excluded or shamed. A quick search on Instagram under the body positivity hashtag brings up white women in bikinis, with the vast majority being slender with an hour-glass figure. 

It is apparent that the body positivity movement has its issues, most predominantly in its lack of inclusivity and actual acceptance for all. Enter the new concept of “body neutrality.” This theory does not base itself on loving your body, but instead finding peace with it. Psychologist Susan Albers describes body neutrality as being “neither loving nor hating your body. It is based on the notions of acceptance and having respect for one’s body rather than love.” You don’t have to love your hip dips, or the way your stomach looks—but you can feel neutral about them. 

“The body-neutral approach leans toward the belief that it does not matter if you think your body is beautiful or not. Your value is not tied to your body nor does your happiness depend on what you look like”(Albers)

Body neutrality does not rest on inauthentic affirmations about your body, it removes the pressure of constantly accepting and loving your body which can be an unrealistic expectation for some. However, some suggest that, on the surface, body neutrality seems like a healthier approach to acceptance of all bodies, Samantha Renke, an actor and activist born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta says there are still flaws. “As a disabled woman I cannot forget the role my body plays in allowing me to live my life…it’s not so straightforward to simply detach from your body when it sometimes lets you down and causes you pain.” It is clear: Both the body positivity movement and body neutrality movement lack representation of disabled people, insinuating that disabled bodies are not welcomed—an unfortunate truth for much of our society. Renke states that for disabled people to feel valued and confident, a few movements is not going to do the trick. “We need to see disabled bodies in all their glory on a global scale for true acceptance… we need to see society embrace disability—not turn away from it.” Representations of all bodies is still missing, whether this is the shades available in foundation and concealer, or clothes that go beyond an XL. Representation is essential to teach everyone that they are welcome and accepted in society, that they are not an outcast. 

Whilst body neutrality has its advantages over body positivity, especially in the way your worth is not attached to your body, it can miss the mark with its exclusion of disabled people. Body neutrality sees the body as a “vehicle that carries you from place to place,” and encourages people to appreciate the things their body can do, such as go for a run or give a loved one a hug. But for disabled people, this may not necessarily be possible—they have once again been excluded and forgotten about by a movement. As Samantha Renke discusses, there needs  to be discourse and an effort by everyone to truly accept disabled people. As a minimum, all buildings and places should be made accessible with input from people with disabilities. Just because you can walk up the ramp, it does not mean it is wheelchair friendly. Use of appropriate language is further necessary, whilst the disability may be part of their identity, it is not who they are entirely. Instead of describing someone, such as a new employee as someone with “special needs,” you can simply say that they “require accommodations.” Remember that disabilities go beyond physical or obvious ones, if someone is parked in a disabled parking space, assume that they need it. These small steps to work towards inclusion and acceptance will do more than a movement on Instagram, promoting acceptance for everyone as a whole. 

After looking at the differences between the body positivity and the body neutrality movement, it is clear both are riddled with flaws. Not only do both movements avoid discourse or the full inclusion of disabled people—but neither mention men. Beauty standards and critiques of the body applies to all genders, and for a movement based on “inclusion and acceptance” to exclude a further demographic, it goes against their entire agenda. When this problem is overcome, body neutrality seems to be the superior and more achievable goal, especially in light of the constant use of social media and editing tools.  Whilst some days are going to be more difficult to appreciate your body than others, there are many ways you can integrate body positivity into your day-to-day life. Adopting a neutral mindset is one way to practice body neutrality, this involves both acknowledging the way that your body functions, and the ways it doesn’t work well for you. Doing so is thought to “help you to accept those things as part of your life, without trying to hide them or feel ashamed.” Practicing body neutrality conversations with others can be another way to practice it with yourself, conversations about bodies or food can be triggering or harmful to some people. If this topic is raised in conversation, you can shift the conversation by simply saying “talking about people’s bodies can be a harmful experience for them.” VeryWellMind further expands on ways to integrate body neutrality, discussing topics like consuming food in a neutral manner, and having the right to wear clothes that YOU like, not society.