Body Positivity, Neutrality & Acceptance: What Is The Difference?
Body positivity was born out of the body liberation movement to give individuals the chance to love, appreciate, and embrace their body image. However, body neutrality and acceptance have emerged throughout the campaign, increasing the awareness surrounding loving one's body. But what is the difference between all of these terms? Although these terms apply to the body liberation movement, it is essential to understand their differentiation.
By: Regina Colie
Body Positivity
If you have been on Instagram long enough, you have probably noticed posts that use #bodypositive to show that users fully embrace their bodies and their beauty within their photos. Body positivity began in the 1960s, as the fat acceptance movement led to the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. However, the term "body positive" came about in 1996, after a psychotherapist and a patient in treatment for an eating disorder created thebodypositivty.org (Very Well Mind). By 2012, however, body positivity took flight, as more and more people began to embrace that they no longer needed to achieve the "perfect body" and instead could be content as they were. It gave women a chance to challenge unrealistic societal expectations and embrace the notion that women should feel beautiful and confident, no matter their shape and size. With the emergence in recent years of diet cultured themed content from influencers on social media, body positivity looks to embrace the changes to one's body and love yourself wholeheartedly.
Body Neutrality
Body neutrality spins body positivity on its head and takes a different approach within the body liberation movement. Body neutrality came about in 2015, following critics the body positivity movement faced within the community. The purpose of body neutrality is to lose the distinction between one's appearance and self-worth. Instead, body neutrality allows individuals to take a neutral perspective of their bodies. In other words, individuals do not always have to love their bodies, but they can still appreciate what they do (Very Well Mind). Body neutrality emphasizes that the body functions help an individual, rather than worrying about what their body looks like to others. The body neutrality movement shows that you do not need to feel a certain way about your body all the time. Instead, you can continue to live your life and be happy just as you are.
Body Acceptance
Finally, body acceptance combines both terms. Body acceptance is the idea that individuals should accept their bodies as they are. Ignore the allure of diet culture and embrace the concept of intuitive eating. Body acceptance allows individuals to face the negative body comments head-on. It gives women the freedom to fully embrace themselves and their bodies without feeling they need to exceed society's expectations. However, body acceptance does not come overnight, with individuals continuing to face scrutiny from their inner dialogue or others they know. But, individuals can turn away from accounts that promote diet culture and begin to wear clothing that makes them feel comfortable and confident. Our bodies will continue to change, but our attitudes towards loving our bodies should not.
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This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Regina Colie.
Regina Colie (she/her/hers) is a graduate student getting her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at The School of Health Sciences of Touro College. She is looking to become a mental health counselor, specializing in eating disorders and postpartum depression. She is a firm believer in mental health advocacy, and giving women the opportunity to speak their truth.
References
Why Body Positivity Is Important. (2020, November 21). Verywell Mind. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-body-positivity-4773402
Body Positivity vs. Body Neutrality. (2021, June 11). Verywell Mind. Retrieved February 13, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/body-positivity-vs-body-neutrality-5184565