body positivity.

Hey all. My friend Liz has some really great thoughts about body positivity and she is here to share some of them today! 

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Caution: The author’s perspectives on body positivity do not relate to all people. We each have different

experiences, so it is entirely possible that the following words will not apply to you or accurately reflect

your identity. Societal pressures different across spectrums of race, class, and gender and the author has

not experienced all of them because of her various positions of privilege.



In our society, bodies are never really appreciated. We often complain when they are tired, hungry,

or sick instead of focusing on how amazing they are. While I am not an expert on anatomy, I do know

that the systems of our bodies are extremely complex. However, we often only focus on the outward

appearance of our bodies – what other people see of us. This image is constantly policed by the media,

our peers, and even sometimes our family members. This negativity surrounding body image is probably

one of the main reasons why people feel uncomfortable with the way they look. Our society tells us that

we are less than enough – not skinny enough, not pretty enough, not desirable enough. Many people

are not even represented in the media, and when they are these representations tend to be negative.

For example, people who are dis/abled are not frequently represented in advertisements, sending a

message that these bodies are not normal or desirable. Fatness is occasionally represented in the media,

but only to poke fun at people who society deems as “obese”.

There are very few representations of people who love their bodies, especially people with marginalized

identities. So what can we do about this? How can we increase our body positivity in a world that does

not give us a model for doing so? Below are several ideas that you can incorporate into your daily lives:

• Talk to your friends and family members about body image. Share experiences. These
discussions may not be easy, but they are important to have.

• Increase your media literacy. Learn the best practices for critically analyzing the messages that are sent your way. 

• Compliment yourself and others. Leave notes, think encouraging thoughts, and let yourself and others know that they are good enough just as they are.

• Stop participating in diet culture. It’s one thing to care about your appearance, but it’s another thing to let it control your life. Extreme dieting is not effective and it is unhealthy in many cases. As an alternative, look into organizations like “Health at Every Size”. 

• Enjoy things you like about yourself and accept things that you don’t. This is obviously easier
said than done, but it is important to focus on all aspects of your body, even the parts that you
might not be as fond of. Body positivity is about your whole self. 

• Think about where your messages on body image originated from. Can this information help
you in addressing your current worries and issues related to your body image?

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For some more excellent thoughts on body positivity and ways to love yourself, Liz suggests watching this amazing video by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong.