EXPLORING THE TERM BODY POSITIVITY AND ITS ROLE IN A PATRIARCHAL SOCIETY
TW: ED
“Did you eat today?” ー A phrase commodified by famous TikToker Sienna Mae Gomez who somewhat insensitively slapped the phrase on t-shirts and sweatshirts with the intention of spreading awareness for eating disorders in an attempt to promote body positivity. The issue with Sienna and some other famous TikTokers who show off their bodies is that they are infamous for “body checking”, a term used used most often to describe someone thin or “conventionally” attractive who has an obsession with looking at their appearance and checking to make sure they are small enough. People who post themselves doing it online can easily trigger someone who struggles with eating disorders and body image. While many people believe that posting body checks online is insensitive and at times triggering, others believe it is a form of embracing your body and being “body positive”. There is no clear cut answer as to whether or not body checking is right or wrong, but it does beg the question: what exactly IS body positivity and who is it for?
The thing about body positivity is that the term is often misapprehended and misinterpreted by liberal feminists (otherwise known as “mainstream” feminists). Liberal feminists often promote the idea that a woman’s body is their own and thus, anything they do with it is intrinsically feminist. The issue with this is that because we live in a patriarchal society, our thoughts, interests, and preferences have been conditioned to reflect the patriarchy. The ability for a woman to live life having completely de-centered men is almost nonexistent. Us women might think we would enjoy being skinny, losing weight, and being curvy, but most of the time, we only believe those things because we were told to. The other side of liberal feminism presents the notion that body positivity was only made for a certain category of woman which can be confusing because nobody can come to an agreement on who it is made for. Some people say that the body positivity movement was made for plus sized women and that skinny women do not have the right to co-opt the term ando on the other hand, there are people saying the term is just an excuse to be shamelessly unhealthy. Others believe the movement was made for disabled people and those with invisible illnesses. Then, we have the people who believe that the movement is made for any-body and that it applies to everyone.
I believe body positivity simply means that beauty is just a construct and that it is never owed to anyone else. The way that the movement is typically used to show how everyone is beautiful despite [insert beauty standard here] implies that it matters whether or not someone is beautiful when it should be the other way around. When people constantly promote beauty and create an entire movement trying to convince everyone that they are attractive, it’s almost as though we are saying that in order for someone to be loved, accepted, and valued, they must be beautiful. Our bodies shouldn’t be treated and loved as we do commodities, but rather, they should be loved for the things they allow us to do and for the way they help us function.
However, the most popular and essential part of the conversation occuring at the moment surrounds whether or not skinny or conventionally attractive women can claim the term. In our patriarchal society, men and even some women will nitpick at women's bodies regardless of how “perfect” it may appear. Even the most stunning supermodel will be picked apart by people who think there are a million things wrong with her and because of this, regardless of weight, shape, height, etc., any woman can feel insecure. That being said, it’s crucial to understand that “skinny” will always be what is socially acceptable. Skinny women will never have to experience severe oppression and body shaming to the extent that plus sized women do. Yes, it is completely understandable and valid to have insecurities, but it’s important to acknowledge that it is the social norm. Because of this, people often engage in unhealthy and sometimes dangerous beauty practices in order to become skinny and in some cases, it is encouraged. At this point in time, absolutely no one is being encouraged to engage in harmful behaviors to become larger and that is the key difference between bullying someone who’s skinny and someone who isn’t.
Additionally, something I feel compelled to mention in this conversation is the practice of healthy and unhealthy beauty practices. For example, breast augmentation surgery can be harmful because you are putting your body at risk. Even something as simple as using a corset, wearing acrylic nails, bleaching your hair, or wearing false eyelashes can potentially harm your body. On the flip side, habits such as going to the gym, shaving your legs, moisturizing, etc. are not putting your body or health at risk. That said, unhealthy and healthy beauty practices often intersect and can be tricky. As someone who is currently wearing acrylics, fake tan, makeup, and has bleached hair, I am not denouncing anyone who employs harmful beauty practices (because that would make me a hypocrite) but I implore women to take a second and consider whether or it is something you want or if it’s something you are conditioned to want OR if you are conditioned to want it but that’s okay with you.
Separating body positivity from beauty practices is essential— body positivity is to accept your body whether it’s beautiful or not; if dyeing your hair or piercing your nose allows you to express yourself and feel more you, it should not matter to the concept of body positivity. Does that mean you should adhere to every single beauty practice society tries to sell you? Absolutely not. Ultimately, we all live in a patriarchal society and are doing our best to survive it. As long as we are constantly asking ourselves questions about whether or not we REALLY think going on that juice cleanse or getting that procedure done is a good idea and making decisions for the right reasons, I say go right ahead.
