Western beauty standards promote a dangerous and often fatphobic image of how women’s bodies should appear in order to be considered desirable. It is vital that we all take part in deconstructing the hegemonic and oppressive myths that push so many women into the constant state of physical and mental anguish that accompanies viewing the body as a problem that needs to be fixed (except for mine, which could honestly be a bit better). So next time you need a little boost, remind yourself of these reasons to apply body positivity toward absolutely everyone who isn’t me.
Remember: This is a feminist issue.
Remember that the policing of women’s bodies through the ideological idealization of thinness is a feminist issue. The pressure on women to lose weight is a pressure to take up less and less space — to exert less and less presence and power to the point of disappearance. It makes me furious to think of all the women impacted by patriarchal weight-loss culture, except for me because I’m really aware of all that stuff and just not affected by it in the structural sense. I personally would rather just look a certain way in a dress – it’s a “me” thing.
We must end the moralization of bodies.
How a woman’s body looks, what she eats, how much she does or doesn’t exercise… are not moral issues! If I ever find judgmental thoughts about someone else’s food or clothing choices creeping into my mind, I remind myself, “There is nothing morally admirable about the pursuit of a conventionally celebrated body nor of a dogmatically healthy diet,” and then I think, “Maybe I’m judging others as a projection of my feelings about my own body and diet?” But then I remember no, it’s not that, I can keep my internalized skinniness glorification completely separate from how I view others because for me it’s about my own health and shit. No need to dive deeper here. Leave me alone, haha!
Think about what you value and admire in others.
A great way to practice body acceptance is to take stock of all the qualities completely unrelated to physical appearance that you value and admire in others. A passion for social justice, a commitment to family, great book recommendations: There are a million little things you respect in the people in your life, and you wouldn’t love them more if they all suddenly had visible abs. The very same is true for yourself. But not for me because I’m just one of those rare people who would achieve complete and irreversible happiness if I just had a six-pack. For me this is true!
So remember all these reasons to practice unconditional body positivity and take the time to think of a few more of your own. Just don’t send them to me, because I’m not interested in all that. Good luck, and unfollow Kendall Jenner on Instagram!!!
