The body positivity movement: a much-needed break from social media toxicity

The rise of social media in the past decade has given us free access to an endless stream of visual content. It is a common activity for us to bombard our brains with what seem to be perfect faces and bodies. It typically promotes an atmosphere of toxic beauty standards that are impossible to attain, resulting in body shaming and low self-esteem and confidence.

With photoshopped images presenting unattainable standards of beauty, social media has evolved into a breeding ground for irrational beauty standards. Meme pages on social media have become increasingly popular in recent years. While they are meant to be a form of entertainment, they can also have a negative impact on our self-esteem and confidence. Many meme pages rely on humor that is often based on stereotypes and unrealistic beauty standards. They use memes to make fun of people who don't fit into these narrow beauty standards, which can create a culture of body shaming and ridicule. This encourages a culture of competitiveness and comparison, which results in low self-esteem and a negative self-image.

A refreshing alternative is the body positivity movement, which has accounts and pages devoted to highlighting various body types and encouraging self-acceptance and love.

What is the body positivity movement?

Body positivity is a movement that advocates for the acceptance and appreciation of all body types. It aims to challenge societal beauty standards and promote self-love and confidence in people of all shapes and sizes. The movement started in the 1960s as part of the feminist movement, which aimed to challenge beauty standards and promote the acceptance of diverse bodies from all races and body types. However, it wasn't until the rise of social media that the movement gained widespread popularity. In recent years, social media has become a powerful tool for spreading messages of body positivity.

Women, men, and nonbinary individuals from all backgrounds are now taking to social media to flaunt their real bodies. Plus-sized, scarred, and disabled bodies are now finally receiving the representation they have deserved for a very long time. The hashtag 'body positivity' has created a community of welcoming people who support each other.

While they go by the tag 'body positivity,' they also showcase the days they feel low and how they deal with it. For example, individuals recovering from an eating disorder or self-harm may document their healing process along with their low days and publish them online for others to see. This is an extremely important step, as the reality in their content instills hope in many other people who struggle with the same problems.

Despite criticism and backlash, the body positivity movement has made considerable progress in encouraging inclusivity and self-love. The movement offers people a safe space where they can embrace their bodies without worrying about remarks, providing a much-needed break from the dangerous social media world.

So, the next time you find yourself crushed under negative self-talk, take a break from your usual Instagram scrolling. Sometimes we fail to realize that our gloominess can be caused by the media we mindlessly consume. Instead, explore some body-positive influencers. You might gain a fresh perspective.

It is important to remember that beauty is not limited to certain body types. The body positivity movement is a powerful reminder that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

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