Body Positivity Promotes “Obesity”

Yet another book club discussion had to include someone mentioning the above, as if it is a fact. A widely known, undisputable fact. As surprising at it may sound, this is not a fact. Not anymore than saying any of the following: 

• LGTBQ+ promotes homosexuality, transsexuality, bisexuality etc. 
• Feminism promotes womanhood 
• Black Lives Matter promotes a specific skin coloring 

• Do I really need to give more examples? 

Maybe you are not seeing what I am seeing in all these movements. When we use the word promote, we equate it with words such as market or sell. We can sell products, services, and ideas.  What ideas are all these movement really selling though? 

Body positive movement sells us an idea that it is OK to live your fullest life in the body you have right now – it is OK to love it and care for it. All bodies are beautiful and worthy of our love. It does not sell the idea, that to feel positive about your body you need to be ‘obese’.  

Let’s explain the same thought process for other movements mentioned above. LGBTQ+ is promoting an idea that a person with one of the sexual identities included in the moment have the right to live their fullest lives in the identities they have right now. They do not have to change it to adhere to some societal norm about sexual identity.  

Feminism has faced a lot of criticism and backlash due to its premise that we must help women achieve the equality they deserve through quotas and other artificial mechanisms. Still, the movement is really telling women that we can live our fullest lives as women in this society.  

As a white European I am not at all qualified to describe the message of BLM movement. As an ally, I believe though that the idea is the same – equality to people regardless of their skin color. No one is trying to promote being “black” as a way of showing your acceptance of racial differences, are they? 

Finally, regardless of the personal level of tolerance, racism or activism, I have never once met anyone, who decided or even wanted to become a woman, homosexual, have a darker skin tone or join any other minority group and forgo their male, straight, white or another privilege in the process.  

Can you really believe that “normal sized” people, whatever normal means, will on purpose decide to fatten up in order to fit into the new idea of body positivity or (worse!) fat acceptance? If you believe that people will suddenly stop their normal eating or movement habits and feel ashamed of being thin and able to shop in all clothes stores, you are probably a bit delusional. Sorry! 

Since diet or lifestyle change fails in delivering on the promise of weight loss for 95% people or more (depending on the study), the “overweight” individuals have very small chances to become smaller. For us, that is, people living in larger bodies, following the body positivity, fat acceptance and Health at Every Size ideology is a much better option for living a healthy and happy life in the bodies they currently have. 

If you want to read more of my thoughts and perhaps find some help on your way to a more body positive and intuitive lifestyle, find out more on my home page.