Body Positivity vs. Diet Culture: Why We Should Be Shouting About Body Liberation Instead!

Hello my lovely humans!✨

Beyond Body Positivity: Why Body Liberation Matters

If you've scrolled through any social media platform recently, you've probably seen the rise of the #BodyPositivity movement. And don’t get me wrong – it’s an amazingly wonderful start. We're finally challenging the toxic ideals of basic diet culture and the impossibly narrow standards it sets for beauty. But there begs the question...

Q: Is it enough?

A: When someone pops the question, "How do you feel about your body?", what's your automatic, gut reaction? I bet it's not always rainbows and butterflies, right? No? Maybe it it's just me. But if even one other person feels even an inkling of similarity to what I feel, then it I have to speak up and let you know that, hey, you're not sailing this boat alone. 🛳

Every time I turn on my Apple TV, or scroll TikTok or Instagram, I'm hit with these unrealistic pictures of perfectly thin, yet curvaceous in all the right places women, caked with makeup, and sparkling to perfection. It's no wonder many of us find it impossible to match up.

Here's the kicker – this whole obsession with body image isn't just in our heads. The science backs it up. The more we see those super-pixel perfect models, the more we feel uneasy about our bodies. The result? A generation trying to fit a mold. A mold that doesn't even exist outside of photoshop and massive amounts of time dedicated to editing.

Understanding Diet Culture

Ever heard of diet culture? It's this twisted belief system suggesting that our worth is all about our appearance. It tells us to obsess over our diets and every bite we take. And, even if we're not dieting, it finds sneaky ways to creep into our mindset. Diet culture is a man made system that promotes the notion that our well-being is tied directly to our appearance. It’s an insidious force, persuading us to see some foods as "good" or "bad" and pushing extreme measures to control our bodies. Here’s the sad thing: it's so deeply entrenched into society and our nature, that even those championing "wellness" can unknowingly be promoting it. 

My confession: 

I’ve been down that rabbit hole. As someone who's been both a professional and personal victim of this diet culture, I’ve seen the damage it does. A little backstory here – I grew up in the thin club. Yet, paradoxically, I also grew up resenting my body, influenced by the media's toxic beauty standards. My journey as an anti-diet mental health advocate has shown me the deep scars left by diet culture on both those I have connected with and myself.

The Link between Diet Culture and Fatphobia 🔗

Growing up, we’re conditioned to equate "thin" with "better," feeding into a systemic bias against larger bodies. This fatphobia manifests overtly at times but often operates in the background, masquerading as faux concern or backhanded compliments.

As someone who grew up *thin, my struggle wasn’t with external judgment but with my own self-perception. The media's fatphobic undertones played a massive role in this internal turmoil. One of the ugliest spawns of diet culture? Fatphobia. It's this false idea that skinny = awesome and anything else = Ehhh... not so much. And though it's 2023, we still have people side-eyeing or 'advising' someone just because they don't fit the skinny bill.

Body Positivity Evolution- What started out as "Good Intentions"...

#ASaviorMovement – body positivity. It started as this beautiful rebellion against unrealistic beauty norms, shouting, "Every body is beautiful!" For a moment, during my skinny-and-dissatisfied phase, I thought I found my tribe in the body positivity community on Instagram. But there was a catch. Though body positivity had noble origins, it morphed. It went from being all-inclusive to this weird, exclusive club dominated by one type of beauty standard. We started seeing thin women flexing to show a belly roll, while many were left feeling out of place.

In essence, it's about challenging beauty standards and ensuring that everyone, regardless of their body type, feels valued and beautiful. My personal journey within this movement began in my 20s, and while it helped, I soon recognized its many limitations.

Today's body positivity often overlooks most marginalized communities, focusing mainly on cisgender, wealthy, white, model-thin women, which dilutes its inclusive ethos. (And wasn't that the whole point of it to begin with?!)

Enter: Body Liberation. 🎉

That's where body liberation comes in, a refreshing perspective that says, "Hey, you're more than just your body!" It's all about freeing ourselves from societal standards of beauty and recognizing our worth beyond our exterior.

When I experienced weight gain due to recovery, getting older, meds, or some other unknown reason, body liberation became my refuge. The idea that I could be worthy regardless of my size felt like someone handed me a light in the middle of a blackout.

So, what's the bottom line? While body positivity began as an inclusive movement, it's taken some wrong turns. Body liberation, on the other hand, reminds us that our worth isn't bound by our looks or physical abilities. You, my friend, are more than just a body – and every inch of you is priceless.

The Rise of Body Liberation

Body liberation goes beyond the aesthetics. It’s the revolutionary idea that no one should be judged based on their body size, health status, or capabilities. Everyone is inherently worthy.

Transitioning from body positivity to body liberation can be a game changer. Why? Because it can serve as tool to help us to embark a much needed journey- aka: embracing a broader perspective. Body Liberation has allowed me to separate my worth from societal standards,  *although the journey is still ongoing.

TLDR;

While body positivity has its merits, it's crucial to recognize its limitations. Body liberation offers a more inclusive alternative, challenging diet culture's deep-rooted notions head-on.
Remember: You are more than your body, and your inherent worth is immeasurable.

Cheers to loving ourselves just a little bit more each and every day!

XOXO, 

-Al3xinwonderland