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Body Positive Movement - For or against?
Replies
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I've body shamed myself a time or two.
( It worked too. )
I put a handwritten note to myself on the refrigerator door that was rather motivating (and insulting) that had me closing the refrigerator door and then going to the gym.
That being said, there's no reason to call out anyone over their appearance.
Most everyone has a demon or two, some are just more obvious to the naked eye than others.14 -
Motorsheen wrote: »I've body shamed myself a time or two.
( It worked too. )
I put a handwritten note to myself on the refrigerator door that was rather motivating (and insulting) that had me closing the refrigerator door and then going to the gym.
That being said, there's no reason to call out anyone over their appearance.
Most everyone has a demon or two, some are just more obvious to the naked eye than others.
Quoted for amplification.
All those people who shamed me 'for my own good' - none of them thought that I might have more pressing issues. Like, say, the chronic severe depression that had almost killed me on several occasions.
Imagine how much actual good it did my health - or just my basic chances of survival - to be shamed for my weight. Go on. I'll wait.20 -
I believe body positivity was originally intended to help those who had been "disfigured" such as by an accident. I think this is a wonderful goal.
I do feel empathy for people who are subscribers to this movement in its popular iteration-accepting fat people. The world is harsh and body criticisms are intense, and they are reacting to this. I think it shows the importance of encouraging people instead of shaming them. Emphasize healthy habits and progress. Who wants to go for a walk when they feel too self-conscious to go outside? Who wants to join the swim team when they think they'll be made fun of for being chubby in their speedo? Who wants to join the track team when they think they're too slow? What teenager wants to grab the salad when they worry their friends will rag on them? The "Positivity" should be in encouraging healthy behaviors and not shaming people in their pursuits. Not in encouraging super unhealthy habits...
I don't think the movement should be used as an excuse to fly off the rails or to not care about health, which I worry is often the case- that is has been warped by some people...
Other commenters have made some really interesting points. That you don't know how far someone has come... Watching Family by the Ton or My 600 Pound Life really makes you feel for their struggles and proud of their triumphs.
I guess a good rule of thumb is just to try to not be rude or antagonize people. I think that's the root of the issue...Maybe there's a run in gym class and people are being rude to the big kid... well, that doesn't offer him a good environment to complete the run and feel good about himself...8 -
As a health coach, I have been able to see how being "Body Positive" can be very beneficial to taking better care of yourself. You have to be grateful for what you have before you can move on in a lot of circumstances. The stress of beating yourself up about your weight can be as detrimental to your goals of gaining or losing weight as your food and exercise. I do not agree with being "Body Positive" while choosing to also be unhealthy when there are things you can do to change your health. As a small person that others have always viewed as healthy, I know first hand that what you see on the outside is not in direct correlation to what is going on inside.8
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Yes--fat acceptance is a good thing. The people who are able to achieve total fat acceptance in their minds are my heros. The vast majority of people who attempt to lose weight end up gaining it back, so to feel good in your own body no matter what your size is important. Your body does everything for you, so why not love it as-is? Fat people get so much hate and it has nothing to do with the moving target called "health".
Why am I here, then? Because people are judgemental (lol, look at the comments in this thread alone). I'm losing so that I can one day avoid negative judgment from fatphobic people (and, whew! There are *a lot* and not all of them are thin). I love fat people--we are awesome and we do what we can to survive in a hostile world. If I could live somewhere without all the hate and negativity regarding body size, I would be content to stay fat. I'm choosing to lose so I have one less target on my back--and because it's the only thing I can change about me so that people can see *me* and not the body. In all likelihood I'll gain back whatever I lose, but for now I'm trying again. This will probably be the last time I do this. If I "fail", so what? No matter what happens I'll come out of this stronger than I am now.16 -
ISmellDairyQueen wrote: »Yes--fat acceptance is a good thing. The people who are able to achieve total fat acceptance in their minds are my heros. The vast majority of people who attempt to lose weight end up gaining it back, so to feel good in your own body no matter what your size is important. Your body does everything for you, so why not love it as-is? Fat people get so much hate and it has nothing to do with the moving target called "health".
Why am I here, then? Because people are judgemental (lol, look at the comments in this thread alone). I'm losing so that I can one day avoid negative judgment from fatphobic people (and, whew! There are *a lot* and not all of them are thin). I love fat people--we are awesome and we do what we can to survive in a hostile world. If I could live somewhere without all the hate and negativity regarding body size, I would be content to stay fat. I'm choosing to lose so I have one less target on my back--and because it's the only thing I can change about me so that people can see *me* and not the body. In all likelihood I'll gain back whatever I lose, but for now I'm trying again. This will probably be the last time I do this. If I "fail", so what? No matter what happens I'll come out of this stronger than I am now.
Why not choose to lose weight to improve your health markers instead?14 -
Hey, to each their own, but I was always miserable being obese (100 lbs overweight). I couldn't even walk up my stairs without getting winded and my heart feeling like it was coming out of my chest! Seeing my Dad deteriorate over his last 20 years of his life with heart disease and diabetes was NOT a POSITIVE thing! He eventually lost both his legs and all of his bodily functions and mobility. I'm choosing to take back my life! I will be 55 this Dec and that is the same age my Dad had his first heart attack. My Dad passed away a year ago this month. I loved my Dad but don't want to end up like him! That was a miserable existence for him and for all of us that had to witness it!13
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I am all for the body positive movement. I think some people are always caught in a cycle of self hatred no matter the number on the scale and believe everyone else should be too. So a happy, self positive fat person shouldn't exist in their reality. Because let's face it the whole push back for the movement is not some overwhelming concern for the health of complete strangers. It is the ability to be happy and content with who you are whether or not you decide to make changes. But no the ire is fat people with or without health issues should not be happier than skin, athletic people.6
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Based solely on my own experience with the movement, I believe it is more harmful than good. I’m sure it was started with good intentions, but it’s very rare that the movement (again, this is just in my experience) promotes sensible information or ideas. It’s basically society finding a new way to ignore health and obsess over appearance.
That said, there’s no need to be a dick to someone simply because you think they’re too big or small. Odds are they already know they have a problem, and treating them like crap isn’t going to change that (and who are we kidding? We all have our flaws.)7 -
Is the anorexic healthy and 'not costing the health system'? No.
Is the person recovering from bowel cancer healthy and 'not costing the health system'? No.
Is the person with profound depression following bereavement healthy and 'not costing the health system'? No.
We have to stop seeing 'thin' as 'good', 'fat' as 'bad'. Humanity is so much more nuanced than we generally understand unless we've accumulated significant life experience.9 -
If by "Body positive movement" it's meant that people of all shapes and sizes shouldn't be *kitten* on for their body shapes and sizes, I'm all on board.
If by "Body positive movement" it's meant that people shouldn't feel badly about their body shapes and sizes, I'm all on board.
If by "Body positive movement" it's meant that people who are overfat get to *kitten* on people who aren't as fat as they are, lie about the negative effects of obesity like a flat-earther defending their beliefs, and whinging about a lack of options for clothing for the class III obese, that's a no from me dawg.
There's nothing inherently wrong with being comfortable in your own skin. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be fitter, heavier, stronger, or not wanting to go the gym. All of these are valid choices people make every day.
There's a lot wrong with mocking people for any of these, and the "Body positive movements" loudest adherents seem to think it's fine to *kitten* all over those who aren't obese.21 -
As a former plus fitness focused blogger, I think body-posi has gone left really fast. Like I hated myself for years, attempted to take my life esp in my teens for a number of reasons but one of the top 5 was weight. When your a POC and you don't look like what is the ideal body you feel horrid. I have been punched out like knocked on cement as a kid by a boy who hated me because I was fight and wish I would die. I had my elementary principal pick me apart because I was fat and dark. So the energy that comes with body positivity is good but its like anything people go left and make it a way to be ok with being not their best version of themselves and then your 600lbs and bed ridden at 30.
Now in my 4th attempt to lose all the excess, I am more aware and feel better knowing that I can be healthy, love me and am acceptable now and in the future. Being fit is rewarded in our society on so many levels and people don't get weight walls you up.14 -
I watched Fat Topia on Amazon Video recently - it felt like some of the people that are most vocal in the fat acceptance movement damage the brand far more than any critic.
I generally favor body positivity and I know there's evidence shaming does more harm than good, so isn't exactly that anyone opposed to it can claim they're really helping people with their overweight conditions if their opposition is shaming. Still, I found the attitudes and the claims made by some of the fat acceptance movement people on their moving me against support for it.
It feels the people that are being honest about the health aspects and just want to feel less judged for something they're struggling need to take a bigger stake of the voice in it.4 -
As an obese mom of a tall, thin (naturally, not due to any eating disorders or crash dieting) 11 year old daughter, I'm all for body positivity. She knows that I am attempting to lose weight due to medical diagnoses, but I never want her to think that she's too this or too that. So over time I've encouraged her to make healthy choices, but not to the point of excess.5
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MADDIESMOMMY6611 wrote: »How do you feel about the body positive movement? I haven't given it much thought but recently stumbled onto a few forums on a bodybuilding website where the overall theme was extremely against this movement. One commenter went as far as to say people for the movement are looking to destroy our country (USA) by promoting unhealthy eating habits and laziness.
What does this movement mean to you? Do you agree or disagree with it?
People take this the wrong way, it's about loving yourself and not putting up with bullies, it's not promoting anything but being okay with who you are (no matter if you're 100lbs or 300lbs - people seem to forget this). To think someone shouldn't feel comfortable and happy with themselves no matter what their weight is *kitten* up and you're *kitten* up to think such a thing. I'm 100% for it, love yourself, love everyday as it's a blessing and ignore the online bullies who think they're better then everyone.
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Never mind that the body positive movement isn't just about fat acceptance. Think it does is taking a really myopic view of it.4
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As with every movement and group of people, the most vocal proponents seem to be the wing-nuts that make a good idea look bad.
Personally, I've found that being able to see my body as it is, overweight or not, and love and embrace it as such, is the first step to taking better care of it.
Also, I must say that I regularly see women who must be twice my weight who can dance me straight into the pavement, so in that regard they are fitter than I am. I am currently training to keep up with the women who can dance me into the pavement. Whatever their size.5 -
I'm all for body positively, nobody should be ridiculed or made to feel ugly, I think it does far more harm than good. How many threads have been made by someone wanting to exercise but being ashamed to because of people judging their weight?
It's a public health issue. Like smoking, drinking to excess, etc. not an ugliness issue.
I take issue with fat acceptance though. To me, they're like those smokers who rant against health warnings and bans on subjecting others to their smoke. If you're saying obesity isn't a health risk, you're spreading misinformation that could cost lives.
Being a Brit, I do pay for everyone else's health issues, which I don't mind doing. I don't resent my taxes going to those who need it. But it does mean I believe that society has a right to campaign for better health, even if it's a bitter pill for some.8 -
glovepuppet wrote: »I'm all for body positively, nobody should be ridiculed or made to feel ugly, I think it does far more harm than good. How many threads have been made by someone wanting to exercise but being ashamed to because of people judging their weight?
This seems contradictory but maybe I'm misunderstanding you. First you say that you're pro body positivity, then that it does more harm than good, then mention (or at least imply) that there have been a number of threads about people being ashamed to workout because they fear that people will judge their weight.0 -
MADDIESMOMMY6611 wrote: »How do you feel about the body positive movement? I haven't given it much thought but recently stumbled onto a few forums on a bodybuilding website where the overall theme was extremely against this movement. One commenter went as far as to say people for the movement are looking to destroy our country (USA) by promoting unhealthy eating habits and laziness.
What does this movement mean to you? Do you agree or disagree with it?
I was 148 lbs at 5'6", went to the gym for a 4:30 a.m. workout Monday thru Friday. My body was strong.
I put on 60 pounds in three months due to idiopathic edema. Over ten years later and I'm still working at losing that weight.
Should I hate my body for it? No.
Do strangers judge me? Probably.
Do I care? No.
We have no way of knowing what someone else is going through. Why should we assume they're obese because they sit on the couch eating pizza and drinking beer all day?
Personally, I accept people at face value. It's not my place to judge.5
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