The fat acceptance movement
So first of all, it’s important to make it clear that body positivity is not about feeling positive about your body. Feeling good in your body is called Body Confidence. Body positivity is a political movement that addresses the oppression of marginalised and discriminated against bodies. Body Positivity is rooted in the fat acceptance movement. This movement started in the 60s and later expanded into the body positive movement. Fat acceptance is all about treating fat bodies with respect and eliminating fat-shaming. It’s also about acceptance and reclaiming the word “fat” as a neutral descriptive word. The movement challenge fatphobia in society and people’s own internalised fatphobia.⠀
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The Bopo movement
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More recently the body positivity movement was born. This movement carries on the beliefs of the fat acceptance movement but also advocates the acceptance of all oppressed bodies no matter the size, shape, or appearance. This movement encourages the acceptance, acknowledgment, rights, and self-worth of marginalised bodies.⠀⠀⠀
My programme Body Positive Parenting is named this because I help mums with their body confidence so they can raise their kids in a body positive environment. During one-on-one sessions with me I help mums with their body image, educate them on body positivity, and give them the tools they need to help their kids to be body confident.⠀
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Body Confidence
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Again, Body Positivity is not about being positive about your body- that’s body confidence or what we call having a positive body image. Body confidence is your relationship with your body and how you feel about it. ⠀⠀⠀
Body confidence is all about a person’s own relationship with their body. Our feelings about our bodies can be positive, neutral, or negative. The way we feel about ourselves can be influenced by external factors and our own internalised beliefs about bodies. Body confidence makes us challenge negative influences and beliefs so we can start to accept and perhaps even love our bodies. The goal of the body confidence movement is to address unrealistic beauty standards and to build people’s confidence.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In my own work I help individuals, mums, and teens to build their body confidence so they can accept their bodies. By building their body confidence they become the body confident role-models that they have always wanted.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Want to learn more about body image? Read more on The Body Blog or follow me on Instagram.