By Bridget Gibbs (she/they), MSc.
Content Warning: able; body positivity; body neutrality; cisgender; neurotypical
I acknowledge that I am working, living, and benefitting from Meanjin land (occupied Brisbane). Sovereignty over this invaded land has never been ceded by the Yuggera and Turrbal people, whose rights and abilities to self-govern are yet to be acknowledged.
“...there is something beautiful about the concept of neutrality when it comes to the body. It focuses on what the body does instead of how it looks...”
Many of us are aware of the downfalls of the body positivity movement. Telling ourselves that we love and accept our bodies every day is just not realistic. We are allowed to feel a range of emotions about our bodies, and the body neutrality movement is an important step forward in helping many of us think of our bodies as what they are and what they do, rather than focusing on what our bodies look like.
Body positivity, to me, feels like a form of toxic positivity at times. Toxic positivity can feel like ‘…excessive and ineffective overgeneralisation of a happy, optimistic state across all situations. The process of toxic positivity results in the denial, minimisation, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience’ (Quintero & Long 2020). Associating statements like: Don’t think about it! Don’t worry! Be positive! It could be worse! Good vibes only! to our bodies, might dismiss the very valid feelings we experience towards them. Body positivity is a movement that seems to have been hijacked by a certain type of body; the young white woman Instagram influencer who has some flaws (as we all do) but is still straight-sized.
Representations of body positivity have often been recreated through film and other media. A quick search for ‘body positive’ movies on Netflix returns a series of similar-looking results. Namely, I Feel Pretty (Amy Schumer, 2018); Isn’t It Romantic (Rebel Wilson, 2019); To The Bone (Lily Collins, 2017); Dumplin’ (Danielle Macdonald, 2018); The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (2005); and Hairspray (Nikki Blonsky, 2007) are in the top results.
These films and the celebrities in them have some relation to being body positive, or to representing non-straight sized bodies. These films which were, in some way, meant to be a step closer to body neutrality have fallen short at even being body positive. The films listed here demonstrate a non-inclusive ideology for body positivity; and are not even successful at being women-friendly at that. In some cases, these films are racially inclusive, but I could not find a single example of a film that is body positive (or body neutral) AND is simultaneously inclusive in other ways. These stories primarily showcase white; young; able-bodied; neurotypical; cisgender; and often Northern American women. I often feel like these films are just reinforcing white privilege and are made to benefit white women only.
The lack of awareness and inclusion of other body-related traits is concerning. An extremely lacking definition of body representation appears throughout these films, and this ‘larger than size 14 but still white and able-bodied women’ does not really cut it for me. To narrow the definition of body representation down to this oft-replicated standard creates a harmful environment for anyone who does not fit into it. Importantly, it feels like the reincarnation of a particular set of body standards through ‘body positive films’ excludes people in the same way that non-body image related films do.
Where are all the men?
Another interesting phenomenon I notice with these film types in particular, is that body positivity appears to be a women-only space. This, however, just does not reflect the truth, as I believe that all people along the spectrum of genders experience body-related insecurities the same way that women do. Do these films, perhaps, tap into long withstanding notions that women should be primarily concerned with how we look, even in stories that claim to teach us otherwise?
I would love to see a film that presents a slither of awareness around true body inclusivity. Until then, here is a challenge for you today: find a film that showcases true body neutrality; or a film that represents non-typical bodies but does not focus on this as a major plot point. Can’t think of any? Neither can I.
If you are struggling or would like to receive professional help for feelings depression, anxiety, or body-related thoughts, I would recommend contacting Lifeline (13 11 14), or Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636). Or, if you would like to discuss anything mentioned here please do not hesitate to send me a message at b.gibbs@onewomanproject.org, or connect with the wonderful OWP Team on Facebook and Instagram (‘One Woman Project’).
References & Reading List
Delarato, L 2020, ‘What Is Body Neutrality? (And Why Is It So Hard to Achieve?)’, Swell, https://swell.damewellness.co/what-is-body-neutrality/
Quintero, S & Long, J 2020, Toxic Positivity: The Dark Side of Positive Vibes’, The Psychology Group, https://thepsychologygroup.com/toxic-positivity/
Radin, S 2020, ‘Move over body positivity, body neutrality is the new realistic movement’, Dazed Digital, https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/body/article/47329/1/body-neutrality-positivity-movement-steph-yeboah-jameela-jamil
Reid, P 2019, Body Positivity is destructive. Body Neutrality is constructive’, The Brag, https://thebrag.com/body-neutrality/