What is body positivity?

Body positivity is a term that’s been around for a long time and it dangles a lofty goal in front of us all—to love our bodies. Sounds great, but it’s not easy for all of us to do. It’s an idealistic goal that feels out of reach for so many people, for so many reasons.

The global body image movement has lots of different chapters taking different approaches. Body appreciation is perhaps the most popular of them. Body appreciation recognises that complete body love might just be an exclusive and unattainable goal. Instead it focuses on building a relationship with our body that leads us to make healthier decisions.

It all started with the idea of body positivity which surfaced in western culture through the Fat Acceptance Movement of the 1960s. Starting in New York, a wave of activism tried to change social attitudes and remove the stigma of being fat. It was joined pretty quickly by the slightly more radical Californian feminist movement, but if you’re picturing one big happy movement, try again. Fat activist women’s groups were rebelling against having been excluded from feminist groups. Feminist groups were challenging the New York Fat Acceptance Movement that was run by a man.

All of this showing that body image really does sit at the intersection of social, biological, economic and racial issues. Actually, because bodies are humans, body image sits at the intersection of most things!

It know it feels jarring today to use the word ‘fat’, but it’s actually an important historical reference here. It’s use is actually a clear part of the Fat Acceptance Movement’s strategy to reclaim power over the word as a replacement for ‘obese’.

Like most movements, the first body image movement came in waves and the conversation grew and evolved with each wave. Think about how when you first started to read, your books were filled with simple concepts. As you practised and got a bit better, you could read longer books with more sophisticated storylines. It’s the same in activism, it starts off with a simple idea, then grows and becomes more sophisticated over time.

If we fast forward to 2023, the idea of activism around body image is clearly still happening but we talk and think differently about what we want to achieve. Body appreciation is about respecting our bodies. It’s about treating our bodies how we would treat a good friend.

So, what is body appreciation?

Body appreciation’s goals are more inclusive. They take into account all of the many ways our physical and social experiences might come together in that one single act of trying to appreciate our body.

Body appreciation doesn’t demand that we flick a switch from hate to love. It teaches acceptance, in that maybe all we can do is feel neutral about our bodies, and that is enough. That we can honour ourselves for making it that far, and hold steady until we are ready for more. Body appreciation moves the party from an exclusive bar to a massive stadium where more people can join in.

Body positivity can still be a goal, but body appreciation teaches us not to get too hung up on it. To not set a bar so high that we punish ourselves for not getting there. Appreciation is about love, respect and acceptance. And it’s time to start loving, respecting and accepting ourselves.

When we take small consistent steps each day to recognise the amazing things our body does for us, we gradually improve our relationship with it. If our arms can move, let's appreciate them for driving a car, holding a baby, carrying bags. If our legs can walk, let’s appreciate them for taking step after step after step. We can appreciate our heart for beating over and over and over again. And our lungs for drawing the air and taking the oxygen we need to survive. Regardless of their shape or mobility, our bodies do extraordinary things for us everyday.

Recognising the wonder and power in our own unique bodies is a great step towards body appreciation.

How can you learn to appreciate your body? Here are my top four steps for starting out:

1. Remember that we all belong. There are so many different types of people, looks, and bodies and they all deserve respect.

2. Honour functionality. Our bodies were never meant to simply be looked at, they help us move, create, and interact with the world. Our bodies have a job. Let them do it.

3. Ask yourself if you are being kind. Be curious instead of critical of others and yourself. Find compassion in as many moments as you can.

4. Be careful who you watch. Are the people you read, watch or follow even real? Look to people who will inspire you by what they do, not how they look.

Whether you are working towards acceptance, neutrality or appreciation, what I really want you to work towards is taking back the power to choose love and joy for yourself.

So much more is possible when we love ourselves.