Is the Body Positive Movement Really A Good Thing?

Today there are plenty of examples of campaigns to help people become comfortable with their own bodies. Yet some have criticized this body positive movement as perhaps keeping people from admitting they are obese. One Newsweek article worried that people may use it as an excuse to justify their weight.

This movement has also gone far beyond only body weight. American Apparel has created a line of clothing for any of 27 different skin tones, and there is a lingerie brand focused on women who have smaller sized breasts. The “acne positive movement” is another example that is covered in this feature piece, where people find more confidence in facing the world showing their pimples without lots of makeup.

There is a fascinating conflict right now between accepting yourself as you are versus trying to improve yourself (in the case of losing weight) or treating your condition (in the case of acne). As one expert shared in this article on Refinery: “Body acceptance is not at odds with motivation to engage in healthy behaviors.” In other words, the quest to be better shouldn’t keep us from being happy with who we are right now.