So I've heard "body positivity" a lot. I've heard the phrase "body neutrality" a little less, but I've still heard it. When I first heard the phrase "body neutrality", I didn't really get it. Then I learned that body positivity was originally created by and for larger people and later hijacked by people who would be considered those who largely align to conventional standards of beauty. The point of body positivity was supposed to be like pride parades. There is no need for straight parades, just like there isn't a need for a body positivity movement for smaller people. Everyone should be proud of their sexuality and comfortable in their own skin, and everyone should be positive about their body. However, the point of the movement was lost when everyone started to join in. When I understood that, it made more sense to me. Body positivity the movement is not for me, but that doesn't mean I'm somehow not allowed to feel positive about my body. Everyone can have body dysmorphia.
Body neutrality is advertised as something for everyone. Admittedly, the way I heard it defined didn't really click for me. I understood there was a need for something that was for everyone because the point of body positivity was that it was for a specific group of people. That paved the way for body neutrality, which is all about being "neutral" about your body. There are a lot of definitions, but largely it's just being indifferent about your body. You can exist without thinking about it as good or bad—or in fact, thinking about it at all.
I like the idea of existing independently of your body and its appearance. But that is indirectly going against everything in society—especially what is targeted towards women. Men also receive this same treatment, but certainly it is not the same. In the end, body neutrality is extremely hard to achieve because the world is fighting to tell each person to be negative about their body.
I don't think someone's self-worth should be tied to their appearance. But it's okay to feel good about looking good. I don't think that's a bad thing. It's not a bad thing to look at yourself in the mirror and like what you see. Body neutrality is something trying to go against both the positive and the negative, in the end. If you're anything like me and spent a portion of your life very much not liking your body, I think it's well deserved to like it some. I mean, you're stuck with your body. Be neutral about it? Doesn't it make more sense to like and appreciate it?
Body neutrality tries to focus on what your body can do and not what it looks like. According to social media, I'm not allowed to say I like xyz about my body because that's not body neutrality. I'm supposed to say how it does this and that for me. Well, what if I want to enjoy the aesthetic qualities as well? Why is that treated like a bad thing? You can't love something you don't pay attention to. And if the world is telling you to hate your body, why is being "neutral" about it the goal? Shouldn't it be easier to tackle it head on? That's what I meant by "indirectly" above. Rather than taking the tangent of body neutrality, why not tackle the hate head-on with loving yourself and your body?
Now, the reason I felt the need to write all this was because I had in fact achieved body neutrality for a while. And then my body suddenly mattered again. And suddenly I didn't like it anymore. And the way to go against that is not trying to force the neutrality. I only reached that point because I started to like what I saw in the mirror. Body positivity the movement isn't supposed to be for everyone, but that doesn't mean everyone doesn't deserve to love their bodies. In fact, I think they should. Body neutrality is okay. If you've got it, that's fantastic. But it shouldn't be forced. That doesn't have to be treated like the goal. Whatever maximizes your happiness should be the goal. For me, at least, that's not body neutrality.
Body neutrality is advertised as something for everyone. Admittedly, the way I heard it defined didn't really click for me. I understood there was a need for something that was for everyone because the point of body positivity was that it was for a specific group of people. That paved the way for body neutrality, which is all about being "neutral" about your body. There are a lot of definitions, but largely it's just being indifferent about your body. You can exist without thinking about it as good or bad—or in fact, thinking about it at all.
I like the idea of existing independently of your body and its appearance. But that is indirectly going against everything in society—especially what is targeted towards women. Men also receive this same treatment, but certainly it is not the same. In the end, body neutrality is extremely hard to achieve because the world is fighting to tell each person to be negative about their body.
I don't think someone's self-worth should be tied to their appearance. But it's okay to feel good about looking good. I don't think that's a bad thing. It's not a bad thing to look at yourself in the mirror and like what you see. Body neutrality is something trying to go against both the positive and the negative, in the end. If you're anything like me and spent a portion of your life very much not liking your body, I think it's well deserved to like it some. I mean, you're stuck with your body. Be neutral about it? Doesn't it make more sense to like and appreciate it?
Body neutrality tries to focus on what your body can do and not what it looks like. According to social media, I'm not allowed to say I like xyz about my body because that's not body neutrality. I'm supposed to say how it does this and that for me. Well, what if I want to enjoy the aesthetic qualities as well? Why is that treated like a bad thing? You can't love something you don't pay attention to. And if the world is telling you to hate your body, why is being "neutral" about it the goal? Shouldn't it be easier to tackle it head on? That's what I meant by "indirectly" above. Rather than taking the tangent of body neutrality, why not tackle the hate head-on with loving yourself and your body?
Now, the reason I felt the need to write all this was because I had in fact achieved body neutrality for a while. And then my body suddenly mattered again. And suddenly I didn't like it anymore. And the way to go against that is not trying to force the neutrality. I only reached that point because I started to like what I saw in the mirror. Body positivity the movement isn't supposed to be for everyone, but that doesn't mean everyone doesn't deserve to love their bodies. In fact, I think they should. Body neutrality is okay. If you've got it, that's fantastic. But it shouldn't be forced. That doesn't have to be treated like the goal. Whatever maximizes your happiness should be the goal. For me, at least, that's not body neutrality.
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