So I get asked this question a lot. I’m going to give you my answer, but please formulate your own answer to this question. I can’t tell you why body positivity is important for you; I can only share why it’s important to me.
First, body positivity frees us all to stop hating ourselves because we don’t look a certain way or have a certain shape or take up a certain amount of space. That freedom leads to other ideas like being allowed to dress in a way that makes me feel good versus what others might or might not like. It allows me to stop expending my mental currency on “OMG what am I gonna do about being so fat?!” and expend it on worthwhile causes instead.
It stops me from being judgmental about other people’s choices in clothing or makeup or hair. I realized everyone is allowed to do what they like, and socially acceptable beauty isn’t rent we women need to pay for existing. That was incredibly freeing. The realization we are all allowed to simply exist was life-changing, no exaggeration.
Body positivity and size acceptance were my first introduction to activism of any kind. Without the size acceptance movement, I don’t know that I’d have been able to move on to learning more about things like intersectional feminism, white privilege, etc. I think I might have stayed in my little cocoon of ignorance. Recognizing oppressive behaviors re: body positivity has led to me recognizing oppressive behaviors in other areas. That can only be beneficial, right?
Last, being body positive has given me the confidence to get up every day and share my voice with the world without having to deal with a lot of “OMG I’m such a mess/I look awful/I’m so gross” or whatever other garbage excuses I used to use to keep myself from spreading the word about learning to love yourself.
Your turn – why is body positivity important to you?
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I’ve had body issues for as long as I can remember. I was always the “big girl” and was 6′ tall by the time I was in the 8th grade (with size 10 feet). I slouched to try and make myself appear smaller and never wanted any attention on me. It made it easier to believe when an abusive boyfriend told me I needed to be “smaller”. Now I have a wonderful husband who looooooooooooves the curves and I’m working on seeing me how he sees me. I’m making progress.