Body positivity may not be perfect, but it's still powerful.

In my last two posts here, I talked about the practice of body positivity, a way of thinking that has been crucial to my life and career as a dancer, yoga practitioner, and movement teacher.

Body positivity gave me a framework with which to explore ideas I had been having since I began taking my non-athletic body into physical spaces. I felt like I deserved to be there, even when my teachers didn't know what to with me, even when other students were unwelcoming. Body positivity allowed me to imagine being a good dancer, despite the flaws I perceived in myself, and to imagine being a great teacher, despite the fact that none of the other teachers I had ever met lived in a body like mine.

The power of this mindset became popular on social media in the 2010s, and critiques of the philosophy began to develop. Let's take a look at three of those so you can add them to your understanding and use of the viewpoint.

Critique 1: Body positivity = toxic positivity.

Not helpful, Ariana. But what would you expect from Glenda the Good Witch?

Toxic positivity is "the expectation that we should always be positive no matter what, and that we should silence negative emotions in ourselves and others." Toxic positivity is a wine tumbler that says, "live, laugh, love." Toxic positivity is shoving all your negative emotions into a dark corner of your mind and telling everyone you know that you're living your best life.

In the world of body positivity, this shows up as insisting that everyone is beautiful or amazing or perfect. It doesn't feel true, and it's not reassuring to someone who is struggling.

My take on this: toxic positivity has bled into body positive thinking, partially because the world of social media prevents nuanced discussion, but I don't think it's inherent in the practice. Learning what body positivity is beyond the buzzwords can help you apply it meaningfully without it becoming poisonous.

Critique 2: Body positivity is for conventionally attractive white women.

This image from a photographer's "body positive photoshoot" fails to include the marginalized bodies that created the movement.

Body positivity originated in the 1960s as a "movement was created by and for people in marginalized bodies, particularly fat, Black, queer, and disabled bodies." When it arrived in the world of social media, it was co-opted by people outside its original purpose - folks who society already accepted. One study showed that 67% #bodypositive posts featured white women, and 43% showed larger bodies.

My take on this: I don't agree that this way of thinking is for white women, but I do agree that the way white women have used it has decentered the bodies it was originally designed to support. My usage of body positivity could be included in this critique - I'm white, I'm pretty, I'm not disabled (unless long Covid is fucking with me), and I usually fall into the category of "small fats." (Straight up, I find terminology that categorizes fat people by size disgusting. Ick, y'all.) To practice body positivity, take an inventory of the layers of privilege you wield. To paraphrase a popular saying, if your body positivity isn't intersectional, it's not body positivity.

Critique 3: Body neutrality is more realistic than body positivity.

Body neutrality is "the idea that we can exist without having to think too much about our bodies one way or the other." Trying to love a body that you struggle with can feel like too far to go. If you actively hate your body, switching all the way to the other side can seem impossible. Some folks are more comfortable with setting the notion of the body aside, instead focusing on the myriad other ways they exist.

My take on this: This is absolutely the right choice for some people, but for me it's not enough. As a dancer and yoga practitioner, I live in my body's abilities, challenges, and accomplishments. It's literally impossible for me to put the reality of my body out of mind. Also, I believe that this is the only chance I get to live in a body, so I want to experience it fully.

My conclusion: Body positivity is a tool in some hands and a weapon in others. Used responsibly, it can revolutionize your relationship with yourself.

Also, I want to reiterate that body positivity is a practice. You start small and work your way up. You have days in which it comes easily and days in which it feels impossible. You make mistakes, and you correct them. You climb the mountain one step at a time.

Bonus content: if you want to spend a delightful hour in the fat liberation movement of 1970s, check out this archive of writings from the Fat Underground.