As a plus-size woman who is heavily involved in the body-positive movement, I’m always looking for those “aha moments” that take my body positivity to a new level. Sometimes, the greatest teachers are right in front of us. Check out these 5 things plus-size women have learned from Lizzo.
For myself, body positivity is a work in progress. It’s taken me a long time to accept myself as I am.
My struggle with body acceptance began as early as elementary school. My family shamed me and gave me nicknames like thunder thighs or squatty body. I was always the biggest one on the cheer squad or ballet or gymnastics.
My story isn’t unique. I grew up as the fat friend, I have always been plus-size, I’ve tried all the diets, done all the workout routines.
Do you need help silencing your inner critic? In a time of selfies and social media, maintaining a positive body image is crucial.
Just like you learned the ABCs, you can learn to love your body. Not the one you wish you had. This one. The one you are living in today.
Ariel King is a lady with a lot on her plate, but she is always welcoming others to the table.
No doubt you’ve been practicing social distancing, or maybe even lockdown, for at least a few days. We are all spending more time at home, more time walking past our mirrors, more time alone with our thoughts and insecurities.
There are some truly reprehensible people in the world. Sexual harassers. Irresponsible rabble-rousers. Brutal dictators. Loathsome celebrities. Mean people of all sorts. Some of them are overweight.
I talk to women about their bodies all day long. In the process, I hear a recurring comment: “He (or she) really loves my body.” OK, but do you really love your body? I get it. I’ve struggled with this too. I’m in a new relationship and sometimes I feel like he loves my curves more than I do. It’s a wake-up call that has reminded me of all of the times I’ve relied on a man’s opinion of my body as a substitute for my own confidence. The truth is, many of us fall into a mentality where we feel almost lucky that our partner finds us desirable. We feel as if we aren’t worthy of love because we’re not the size society deems acceptable. We feel flawed because we’re not the size 2 to 8 that mainstream media celebrates. That’s a very dangerous road to walk. Of course it’s human nature to seek out acceptance, but self-acceptance based on a partner’s opinion can be toxic. It’s temporary and not rooted in your own sense of self-worth. The power is completely in someone else’s hands. You deserve to take up space and feel sexy and confident about yourself. You