The Body Positivity and its contradictions

The social uprising on the positive body image or better known as Body Positivity, has been shown to be more positive than negative. Its notoriety has been generating doubts and gaining a lot of space on social networks due to its contradictions.

The movement arose in response to years of propaganda for stereotypical female beauty. On television, it is normal to see appearances by fat women as well as in fashion magazines. However, health and wellness magazines are also betting on their covers for plus size women as synonymous with health.

The difference is both hilarious and concerning pic.twitter.com/HWpPvlMhRu

— ⚔️ JACK BING ⚔️ (@RobBatBattins0n) January 4, 2021

The real intention of Body positivity

Although it is a paradigm created in 1996 by the Americans Connie Sobczak and Elizabeth Scot, it has now become a psychosocial campaign. It arose with the purpose of stopping eating disorders and still continues to be promoted by its feminist pioneers with the intention of promoting self-esteem and self-love of each person, regardless of their physical attributes.

The reason left is absolutely on the wrong track

*Pic on the left: unhealthy body, doctors, family, friends would immediately step in to help

Pic on the right:
she is beautiful, let’s make her a model

Left completely failed when it comes to common sense #bodypositivity pic.twitter.com/jL1B500HOp

— AddYourName 🧅 (@digysa22) March 1, 2023

Mental health and food

To have stable mental health, you have to eat well. It is not possible to be overweight or obese and be healthy, says nutritionist Sara Goñi, from the Cesaraugusta clinic in Tarragona. According to her, they are incompatible terms, since being overweight can cause heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, among other conditions.

Compared to the American ‘fast food’ culture, Spain is an exemplary country in its Mediterranean diet. However, Goñi expresses his concern about the possible disappearance of the Mediterranean diet due to new trends. ”When I see young people I feel a little scared, too much Americanization, not only of food, but of life in general,” he affirms. Listen to the nutritionist here.

A good appearance is not synonymous of health

On the other hand, the psychologist and facilitator of Body Positivity Valeria Rodriguez Leal, (watch interview), specialized in eating disorders, highlights that “the concept of health is not only based on weight. You can’t decide someone’s health just by seeing them physically.’’ In addition, she explains the main causes for the development of disorders and also presented solutions such as intuitive eating. Finally, she warns that “even if we ate the same thing, did the same amount of exercise, we still wouldn’t have the same bodies.”

Self love generates healing

A study by the Institute of the International Journal of Behavioral nutrition and physical activity collects people who love themselves, feel that they deserve good food and exercise to improve their personal care.

Meanwhile, people with low self-esteem are perceived as useless. Therefore, they tend to eat more industrialized foods such as junk food or in other words, ‘junk foods’. Then, they are less likely to lose weight because they feel that they are devalued by society and, as a result, they reject their own bodies.

Another study from the National Library of Medicine also proves that by increasing the sense of self-esteem and belonging in people, it helps patients to develop self-efficacy in treatments for weight loss or bulimia. So, people with any type of body can also have good health, since mental health conditions physical health.

The compassion between women

Pop culture artists such as Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga and Demi Lovato also defend this cause on their social networks. Bullying and ‘body shaming’ often trigger eating disorders. Factors in which they themselves still suffer from it in their day to day, as well as any other woman.

Recently, the singer Selena Gomez suffered attacks due to her overweight after appearing at the Golden Globe delivery. In response to her harsh criticism, she communicated to her on her social media that she didn’t mind being overweight for having enjoyed her family vacation. “I don’t care about my weight because people complain about it anyway. You are too small. you’re too big. That doesn’t fit. I’m perfect the way I am.“

Selena Gomez got fat and turned Asian. 0/10 pic.twitter.com/cdwrD3VJec

— Marv (@rolemodel37) January 19, 2023