What is Body Neutrality?

Body neutrality is a mindset before it is a movement. To better understand this movement, it may be easier to think of it in terms of your inner dialogue. This mindset recognizes that we all tend to critique ourselves every now and then, some more than others. Some of us focus on what our bodies can’t do. Others focus on the subjective appeal—or lack thereof—of our bodies, including our natural shapes, scars, hyperpigmentation, bumps, and everything in between.

Body neutrality is, in essence, self-validation. This mindset acknowledges that we have these critiques, but asks that we no longer criticize nor do we glorify. It’s truly the belief that we accept our bodies in its current state.

For those unfamiliar with this mindset, you may be wondering how exactly is this belief beneficial to self-confidence? Wouldn’t endlessly complimenting each of our physical appearances be better in the long run? According to many leaders in the health and fitness worlds, body neutrality is one of the healthiest mindsets to have, because it allows individuals to feel content at worst and joyed at best, during each part of their health and wellness journey.

Think of it like this, body neutrality is like the road at eye level in front of you. It’s not a hill you need to climb or a valley you have to step down in. It’s there. As is. Your body is as it is, and that’s all you need. 

How Can We Approach Fitness With a Body-neutral Lens?

This mindset can sound as if it’s not conducive to a healthy relationship with exercise. Some people may even believe that this mindset influences more people to become couch potatoes, since they’re not being asked to focus on their outward appearance. This is in no way the case. Body neutrality does not mean you shouldn’t exercise. It simply means that when you exercise, you avoid focusing on how you look or want to look. Instead, try focusing on the movements your body is doing. Be present and accepting. 

For example, when you’re squatting, focus on the correct form that will reduce the chance of injury, instead of thinking about how this angle will look when you post your workout videos to your Instagram story. 

How Does Body Neutrality Differ From Body Positivity? 

The body neutrality movement has a lot of similarities with the body positive movement. For starters, both can be described as socially constructed mindsets turned into movements intended to improve individual—as well as collective—esteem towards physical appearance. Both can also be described as fat acceptance movements, as they equally emphasize the beauty in each unique shape.

These movements originated with positive intentions. However, body positivity most differs from body neutrality, as it often crosses the line of toxic positivity – the belief that we must find happiness in everything, including our bodies. 

Whereas body neutrality is accepting your body at all times, body positivity demands you to love your body unconditionally. In theory, this mindset is beautiful and the movement empowering. Who wouldn’t want to love themselves at all times? Unfortunately, this is a not realistic mindset for most people. A majority of us have days where we wake feeling not so great about our bodies. Most of us have extended moments where we critique our physical appearances.

Yet, many of us also have periods of true self-love towards every inch of our body. Feelings and thoughts are like the moon. They’re constantly changing direction, and it’s hard to notice these gradual differences, until our mindset has completely shifted. Body positivity is simply unsustainable for many of us. We should be allowed to have the highs and lows that body positivity preaches against.

It should be said that body positivity wasn’t always inadvertently negative. A byproduct of the 1960s fat liberation movement, the body positivity movement was developed by “fat queer Black women and femmes” (Dominici). This movement made room for inclusion of all the bodies made to feel less than by our mainstream culture and its beauty standards. The years saw this room of inclusion morph into a room of the expected. The bodies of the always-accepted were now the focal point.

Thin white women were once again idealized in a space once meant for the celebration of all marginalized physical appearances. Body positivity has now become the glorification of already “attractive flaws.” Can you think of the viral TikToks where medium-sized women exaggerated their bellies in an attempt to be relatable? This type of content consistently has higher levels of positive engagement, compared to TikToks that showcase large-sized women with already pronounced bellies.

In fact, the latter is often criticized, demeaned, and labeled as a bad influence, because these women must be promoting obesity by posting their everyday outfits. Many critics believe that the body positivity movement has now become synonymous with the glorification of obesity. Yet, this argument is false. Both body positivity and body neutrality emphasize health at every size. It’s not as easy as many think it is to visually tell if someone is “unhealthy” or not, which is why we should never cast those judgments. Both these movements ask that you accept or glorify others’ bodies with the same care that you do your own. 

Should You Be Body Neutral or Body Positive? 

It should be stated that the push for body neutrality isn’t necessarily the condemnation of body positivity. Instead, body neutrality can be thought of as an extension of body positivity. It’s like you made a dozen chocolate chip cookies and realized they could’ve used some cinnamon after the first bite. So, for your next batch, you add that cinnamon. However, your sister comes over and says she doesn’t like the second batch because she hates cinnamon.

You’ve improved upon the recipe for yourself but it didn’t work for someone else. That’s a hungry metaphor to say that there is honestly no right or wrong path; you are the expert of your own body. Try implementing both mindsets for 30-60 days at a time and journal your experiences. Read over your thoughts at the end of the experimentation period and then incorporate the mindset that yielded the best results for you into your daily life. 

Body Neutrality Content Creators

We all know that social media is among the most powerful tools in media. Its influence on our perceptions is unparalleled. As such, it’s important to find content and content creators that promote positive self-acceptance. Here are a few inspirational body-neutral content creators to keep up with!

Sixtine

This TikTok creator has developed some of the most popular videos promoting body neutrality. She is a #fatpositive influencer, consistently reminding us that every body should be accepted and valued.

_Gaiamaia

Another TikToker in the body neutrality movement is Maia. Her account embodies both body neutrality and body positivity. She is a proud promoter of everyone wearing whatever they want, whenever they want, and however they want. 

Toriphantom

Although this TikToker’s content doesn’t focus on body neutrality, this TikTok video of hers perfectly defines the mindset. They admit they don’t love their loose skin, but they’re happy because they accept it. 

Tiffanyima

This Instagram influencer is a commanding voice in the body neutrality movement for good reason. She shares the body neutrality authenticity by sharing her own struggles, such as being an eating disorder survivor. She teaches us that we don’t always have to love our bodies but we should feel at home in them. 

Paradisefitnesswithcarly

Similarly, this Instagram content creator shares her past struggles as an eating disorder survivor, giving us firsthand tips on how to accept our body as it is. She’s always reminding us that body neutrality starts from within: acceptance of yourself and ignoring what other people think.

References:

• The Black History of the Body Positive Movement, Zenerations

• Can ‘Body Neutrality’ Change the Way You Work Out? New York Times

• 7 Wellness Experts Explain "Body Neutrality" and Why It's Worth Exploring, Byrdie