The Body Positivity Movement encourages people to embrace the body they were born with.  The objective is to promote self-esteem, self-love, and self-confidence.  And while the Body Positivity movement can be seen (by some) to be “unhealthy” because it doesn’t focus on achieving a physically fit body, it focuses on mental health, which is just as important. I have struggled with my body image before and as I started to understand this movement, I began to feel more confident about myself, and you can too.

A common misconception is that the Body Positivity Movement focuses on encouraging people with unhealthy bodies. But this isn’t the case. Every single person is different and has different physical qualities, so assuming that someone is “unhealthy” because of their body type can be dangerous.

With the growing awareness of and spread of mental health issues (eating disorders, included) we must learn as a society to accept ourselves and others. We cannot tell someone that their body should look a certain way because of unrealistic norms (particularly those created in the media).

If someone has a health issue, it’s up to their doctors to discuss it with them as opposed to unsolicited health advice or expectations from others, as people have less control over their health than you would think.

As a society, we’re constantly getting more and more knowledgeable about the impact of genetics on physical body attributes and mental health afflictions. The results are in— genes have incredibly powerful impacts on body weight (there are 400 genes that have been implicated in obesity) . If someone is born with genes that lead to a slower metabolism, they are going to struggle with their weight. That is something that is far more difficult to change than once was thought.

The same goes for mental health issues like depression.

The bottom line is you don’t know what people go through, and you don’t know their genetic makeup, so you have no right to judge or concern yourself with how they look. The Body Positivity Movement is about self-love. It is about looking within oneself and regaining that power and self-assurance that so many have been robbed of from years of societal judgment. The movement has changed the way many people see themselves.

The movement has also changed the standard of beauty. There is no longer the set beauty standard of the “tall, skinny, beautiful girl” or the “tall, muscular boy.” The world is now starting to accept everyone, and companies have begun creating and marketing  clothing to fit realistic body standards.

Thus body positivity has been an uplifting movement that has helped change many industries for the better.

The Body Positivity Movement isn’t about promoting an unhealthy lifestyle, or lowering the standards of health and motivation. It is about promoting who you are, how you look, and how you should feel.

I, personally, have been body-shamed, and so I feel very passionately that people need to embrace this movement and learn to love and respect everyone. This movement is trying to heal the wounds that have kept people from loving themselves.