Mind Body Connection with Dr. Tyrone - March 2021
Body Positive Movement Can Be Toxic Too
Hello Team Wukkout,
For this month I wanted to share an article written by Ashlee Marie Preston about how the body positivity movement can also be toxic. In the article she shares a great deal about her own experiences, journey, and relevant cultural conversations and examples.
Here’s an excerpt acknowledging the importance of the Body Positive Movement while also sharing the challenge:
As an elder millennial (with a Gen-Z glow), I remember when body justice was solely about ending all forms of body terrorism. As discourse deepened and nuance flowed freely from the pens of writers, scholars, and academic stakeholders, we began learning the fundamentals of body liberation that made our lives feel bigger. But many of us became afraid to pose questions that beg nuance and ultimately strengthen our understanding of self and others.
Not all fat bodies are unhealthy, and not all thin bodies are healthy. Yet, few in the BoPo movement care to acknowledge fat bodies that ARE unhealthy and require weight loss for survival. Instead, some remain firm in their beliefs that all weight loss is toxic, branding those of us who don’t agree as persona non grata. This forces those who often experience multitiered marginalization to now choose between survival or having access to safe space.
Ashlee Marie Preston
Below are some highlights/key takeaways from the article:
Embrace the body as ethereal - rather than as an enemy
There should be space to safely unlearn potentially harmful habits without being shamed more than we've already grown accustomed to
We can't achieve a society free of body shaming, while body-shaming other for exercising agency
At the end of the day, no one should be placing demands on bodies that don't belong to them
Read the full article here https://www.harpersbazaar.com/beauty/health/a35162869/body-positivity-community-and-weight-loss/