The Essential Need For Body Positivity

“Body positivity” refers to the movement to accept our bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical abilities

Like other feminists, I question whether the push to broaden beauty norms should occupy as central a role as it does now in the movement’s mainstream incarnations, and I believe that, beyond challenging confining beauty standards, body positivity should teach us that all bodies are worthy—for example, of care and respect. My aim in this article is to offer a general account of body positivity. I argue that body positivity should be understood as the transition from limiting body shame to proper body pride. I adopt a pluralistic approach to body positivity, incorporating the idea that we should not only expand aesthetic standards, but also celebrate such aspects of embodiment as our capacity for bodily pleasure or our bodily abilities. What is common to these different ways of developing empowering relations to our bodies is the move to resist all forms of body shame that limit our flourishing and to cultivate proper pride in one’s body. I conclude by considering several avenues toward embodying such pride and, thus, embracing body positivity: expanding beauty ideals; promoting equal access to physical activities and celebrating the accomplishments of all athletes, regardless of body size or level of ability; and consciousnessraising.

To make my statements stronger, I have shared few quotes by some of the most famous people in the whole world –

"You have to stand up and say, “There is nothing wrong with me or my shape or who I am, you’re the one with the problem!” — Jennifer Lopez

"Nobody is perfect. I just don’t believe in perfection. But I do believe in saying, 'This is who I am and look at me not being perfect!' I’m proud of that." — Kate Winslet

"Say goodbye to your inner critic, and take this pledge to be kinder to yourself and others." — Oprah Winfrey

"You define beauty yourself. Society doesn’t define your beauty." — Lady Gaga

From the above quotes, we all can easily understand, it is not about the physical appearance, it is all about the inner beauty. If there are only 5 per cent of the whole population who have good physical appearance, I believe, there won’t be more than 1 per cent who have that inner beauty to make this world a better place for others.