Body positivity and the ongoing body image crisis
If you grew up in the late ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s, you experienced some of the most narrow beauty standards in modern history. Women in popular media were lengthy and pin-waisted yet had a perky bum and bosom. Meanwhile, their male counterparts stood tall, striking, and chiselled.
In response to this exclusion was the body positivity movement. It challenged the idea that a person’s beauty—or even self-worth—was determined by how closely they matched the physical ideal.
However, certain interpretations of the body positivity movement took an unhealthy turn. So here’s the important question: How can society preserve the good aspects of body positivity while remaining honest about health?
Why body positivity still matters today
Humans come in all shapes and sizes by nature. Skeletal proportions and weight distribution vary across populations globally through centuries of geographic and ethnic adaptation according to body morphology.
To further understand the relationship between clothing and body shapes across populations, the Textile Institute published a study in November 2023 showing that populations from Europe and the US are larger, with overall body dimensions that have wider torsos.
Even people who have similar habits and share genetic and cultural backgrounds can vary greatly. The National Institute of Health (NIH) compares Koreans, Mainland Chinese, Japanese, and Taiwanese and finds notable differences in height, build, and limb length despite proximity.
Expecting people to conform to such narrow beauty standards ignores the diversity that’s always been present within humanity. In such a globalized world, where people from all corners of the globe tune into the same media, embracing diversity has become more important than ever. When individuals see people in the media who look like them, they feel a sense of belonging and representation. Feeling identified with popular figures in the media can also be a powerful source of motivation and inclusivity, later on leading to participation.
Body positivity also reminds people that bettering oneself shouldn’t come from self-loathing or self-destructive measures. It aims to foster a sense of respect and dignity among individuals regardless of their current physical condition.
Health should always be the focus
Although this cultural movement started well-intended, it still lost its way.
Originally, body positivity wanted to emphasize that healthy bodies existed across a range of shapes and sizes. However, some lost a sense of objectivity altogether and took acceptance beyond reasonable limits. For some, acceptance gradually turned into celebration of what’s objectively unhealthy. This distinction matters.
There is a major difference between accepting people as they are while encouraging improvement and promoting them to stay in or even further a state where they harm their health. Acceptance recognizes a person’s inherent worth regardless of their current state. Complacency, in contrast, discourages growth and improvement. A healthy version of body positivity inspires people to better themselves out of self-love anchored in reality.
So it’s also important to acknowledge that not all shapes and sizes are healthy, and being too fat or too thin can objectively harm a person’s well-being.
Recent years have also provided cautionary tales of influencers who took it too far and promoted excessive weight far beyond a healthy range. These influencers managed to amass large followings by rejecting all discussions of weight-related health concerns in the guise of empowering acceptance. Tragically, these people have either become chronically ill or even passed away.
Currently, the pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme with the rise of Type 2 diabetes drugs, particularly GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic. According to the NIH, about two in every 25 prescriptions were for GLP-1 agonists as treatment for not just diabetes but also, or primarily, for weight loss. People strive to be unreasonably thin at the cost of fertility, bone density, and loss of lean muscle.
And despite its risks with excessive misuse, these are overlooked in favor of its evident success as a weight loss remedy.
These cases shouldn’t serve as justification for ridicule or judgment. Rather, it highlights the importance of balancing compassion with honesty. Good intentions or a sense of gratification won’t override the consequences of poor health.
The lesson here isn’t that this movement is inherently flawed, but that body positivity—or any cultural movement—needs to be grounded in objectivity to truly better the lives of those it aims to help.
The coexistence of reality and empathy
Fortunately, the conversation is evolving. Health professionals and researchers like the World Health Organization have made updates regarding healthy ranges of BMIs (body mass index) that factor in ethnic differences and modern lifestyles. Having a more nuanced perspective—combined with the compassion body positivity started with—ideally works hand in hand with medical science.
This updated approach recognizes two truths simultaneously: that people deserve respect whatever their shape or size, and measurable health indicators always matter.
However, there are still exceptions and complexities we need to consider. Some individuals have medical conditions that negatively affect their metabolism, hormone production, and weight management. Others struggle with mental conditions that profoundly affect their relationship with food and body image.
Everyone’s situation is unique, and sometimes, far more complicated, which is why body positivity needs tactful communication.
The way a message is delivered often determines how it is received. There is a significant difference between discrimination and concern. Telling someone they are less worthy because they’re outside a healthy range or don’t meet a beauty standard is counterproductive and harmful.
But encouraging someone to make healthier choices because you want them to improve their well-being is an entirely different conversation.
A society that truly values health should be able to discuss difficult realities without abandoning empathy. Likewise, a society that values inclusivity should not ignore objectivity to avoid uncomfortable truths.
