Why Body Positivity is Desperately Needed
From tv shows and films to magazines and billboards, we are surrounded by ideas of the “ideal” woman. From a young age, it is ingrained into us that we cannot be too skinny or too fat, we have a very fine line of what we can be.
For most of the time, we look at the number on the scales and deem that as our worth, almost like a price tag. With the idea that the lower it is, the better. Many medical and fitness professional often recommend individuals to not rely heavily on their weight but instead look to their body measurements…but is this any better?
Many women develop eating disorders and eating issues due to the many ways they are judged, and once the mind is fixed in that place of body dysmorphia, it can be incredibly difficult to overcome, especially when people comment on your body and behaviour. This makes it incredibly hard for plus size individuals to get help with their eating disorders as they are often told they can’t possibly have one due to their size alone.
We only have to look at celebrities that have spoken out about what triggers them and how they cope as well as the online hatred that gets sent their way for coming out about their truth.
Tess Holliday
Currently the most controversial topic on social media and news is the beautiful plus size model Tess Holliday revealing she was diagnosed as anorexic. Because she is much bigger than the average anorexia sufferer, she spoke to GMA stating, "I've had a lot of messages from folks that are anorexic that are livid and angry because they feel like I'm lying… I am plus size, but advocating for diversity and larger bodies, and so I think for people hearing me say I'm anorexic was really jarring and hard and confusing."
Demi Lovato
Since the age of 12 Demi Lovato has dealt with bulimia and struggled throughout her life to handle her body dysmorphia while working in a toxic industry where the “ideal” body was desired to avoid negative gossip magazine news. She recently made news on social media due to stating that a biscuit triggered her by using the word “diet”. She dealt with a lot of controversy due to seeming hypocritical, however, we cannot know what will trigger someone who is facing and recovering from an eating disorder.
The reality is, anyone can suffer from body dysmorphia and it can show itself in many ways. From the commonly discussed anorexia and bulimia, to binge eating and OSFED. If you feel you or someone you know shows signs of an eating disorder, then approach the topic with a medical professional.
You can find more information on eating disorders here:
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/eating-problems/types-of-eating-disorders/
https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/
