Why Body Positivity Isn’t Always Positive

When I was around 8 years old I heard the words “eating disorder” for the first time. I was in fourth grade and my favorite Disney Channel show had just been cancelled because the leading actress had bulimia. Of course, my eight-year-old self didn’t know what that meant. All I knew was that “Sonny With a Chance” wouldn’t be on TV anymore.

When this news broke, every major media outlet suddenly cared a whole lot about eating disorders and body image. This was a headline sure to grab the attention of anyone waiting in line at the grocery store. It was controversial, shocking and‒ like most news stories‒ short lived.

These stories pop up every now and then, and for a few days the whole world is concerned with it. The media tell us to do better and be more mindful of body representation, then go on as usual. Body positivity towards women is treated like a trend rather than an ideology.

By acknowledging the struggles some female celebrities have had with body image, the media wants us to feel as though the problem has been solved. If we can break the stigma surrounding this issue, it’ll go away… right?

Not exactly.

While it’s true that body representation in the media has improved, it’s still not where it needs to be. We see plus-sized models in magazines, actresses flaunting their natural bodies on the red carpet and, in some cases, celebrities who are “just like us!” So, what’s the problem?

According to Plunkett Research, 68 percent of women in America wear a size 14 or up, yet the average model wears a size 4 or 6. In the modeling world, anything above a size 8 is considered plus-size. The inclusion of plus-sized models might seem progressive, but the true outcome is average, healthy women being told they’re “plus-sized”, simply because they aren’t the same size as a model.

As if that wasn’t confusing enough, it’s becoming increasingly harder to know what size you actually wear. Every brand seems to have its own definition of a size 12, and what some stores consider “curvy” jeans, others might call regular jeans. To complicate things further, sizes have been changing overtime, too. According to Time magazine, a size 8 in 1967 would be considered a 00 today.

This warped display of sizes and body types can create discontent among consumers. With so many sizes and styles to navigate, it’s easy to feel like you’re the problem. The unique size and shape of your body can’t be confined to a single number, and it shouldn’t have to be.

Putting the sizes and numbers aside, there’s still a lot to be said about the way plus-sized and fat women are treated in the media.

While the presence and representation of fat people has increased, it hasn’t necessarily improved. Fat celebrities are usually praised for their bravery and confidence, but not their talents. Fat characters are often used as comedic relief rather than a serious part of the plot. One of the most recent examples of this is American singer, rapper and songwriter Lizzo.

Lizzo began attracting a national audience in 2019 with her single “Truth Hurts,” but her musical talent wasn’t what most people first noticed. As a fat woman in the music industry, Lizzo will never be treated the same as artists like Rihannah or Taylor Swift. That isn’t to say she’ll never be as successful or well known — in fact, she’s already won three Grammy Awards. If you search her name, though, you won’t have to look far for a story regarding her body.

Another example of fat women in the media is the character Fat Amy from the 2012 film “Pitch Perfect.” Fat Amy, played by Australian actress Rebel Wilson, brought a lot of attention to the movie. She was used mainly as a source for comedic material, and her confidence throughout the film was treated as such. Unlike the other characters, Amy lacked a storyline. She faced no conflict, no personal growth, and existed only as a two-dimensional character.

These are just two examples of the way fat women are treated by and portrayed in the media. Including different body types in the media doesn’t equate to “body positivity” or even body acceptance.

In order to truly promote body positivity, we have to get rid of the idea that your body determines your worth. We need to stop viewing weight and body type as a setback or a challenge and recognize that everyone is capable of happiness and success, no matter what their body looks like.