Covid-19 and the Body Neutrality Movement

So, Target sent their first 2021 swimsuit add last week. This is great because it means warmer weather is around the corner, however, this can really stress people out. Why? Because lots of people gained weight over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic. The added pressure of trying to lose additional weight before swimsuit season coupled with diet culture can become quite volatile during this time of the year. But along with COVID-19, there was a new movement. We have all heard of the body positivity movement. If you have not, let me explain. The Body Positivity Movement is a social movement initially created to empower plus size individuals. The movement advocates the acceptance of plus size bodies regardless of physical ability, size, gender, race, or appearance.

Although this is an extremely empowering and positive movement, it is not a catch all. So, the combination of more conversations around our bodies plus the need for a more inclusive (that sounds odd) term for what people should be feeling led to the body neutrality movement. 

What is body neutrality you might ask? Well, the body neutrality movement is one that refocuses our understanding of our body from its appearance to its functionality. The goal of this movement is to emphasize the importance of feeling healthy and being grateful for our bodies keeping us alive. It is a shift away from quantifying our bodies based on “beauty” and not placing value of your worth on your body at all.

Body Neutrality Affirmations look like:

• My value is not placed on my physical appearance

• I an grateful for my body for keeping me alive

• My body is a vessel for intelligence and love

• I can respect my body even if I don't love it

• My outward appearance does not reflect how I feel about myself.

If you have any questions on body neutrality, feel free to reach out and comment below! If you like what you read, sign up for my newsletter so you are first to know when new physical wellness blogs are posted!