Body Positivity vs. Fat Shaming
Let me start this off by saying that I do not endorse fat shaming or anything of the sort. There is a very clear line between not supporting movements like health at every size, and belittling people for their weight or appearance. This article is strictly about those who choose to hide behind the comfort of body positivity, or health at any size instead of pushing themselves to become better and more healthy.
What is Health at Every Size?
For those who are unaware, there is a movement called Health at Every Size. They aim to show women that they don't need to worry about weight loss because they are perfect as they are. Tess Holiday, pictured below is one of the movement's biggest supporters. The HAES mission statement goes like this
"To help people embrace the bodies that they are given--big or small--and to allow them the tools to help others do the same! We need to forget about eternal dieting, and eat what we want, when we want, but in moderation. To not deny the nutrients that our body needs, and to eat when we are hungry, and stop when we are full! Not to let the number on the scale tell you who you are, who loves you, and who you are going to be! To know that no matter the size of clothing you wear, you can make a big difference in this world, and in someone’s life. The knowledge that no matter the number on the scale, your body can be healthy, and lifespan can be long. To not be ashamed of the size of our bodies, but to find the joy in moving our bodies creatively."
The Honest Truth
To be flat out honest with you THIS IS COMPLETE BULLSHIT! The honest truth that many of these women and men don't want to hear is that overall health is extremely correlated to the amount overweight a person is. Don't take my word for it. Here's a study conducted with 10 years of follow-up comparing the magnitude of overweight, with the likelihood of developing common diseases.
Results The risk of developing diabetes, gallstones, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke increased with severity of overweight among both women and men.
http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/648604
Don't believe that study, go do your own research you'll find plenty of articles that will tell you much of the same. Being overweight and overfat significantly increases your risk of developing diseases.
This mission statement in my opinion also makes it sound like it is damn near impossible to lose weight. I've written many articles for those looking to lose weight, and it can actually be quite simple. There is no reason to settle for anything less than the best version of yourself, just because it can be difficult to reach that point.
The fact that this movement is telling young women that they can be healthy no matter how obese they are is unacceptable.
This is a flat out lie that's not hard to disprove. Some may argue it's better than being called fat, or being put down for your appearance, but I would argue that the message that obesity won't affect your health is just as dangerous.
The Few Positives
Not letting the scale define your self-worth
There's nothing wrong with not hating yourself because you don't like the number you see on the scale. There is something wrong with deciding that it's okay to be unhealthy and that you're never going to work towards becoming better. It is extremely important to keep in mind that being overweight doesn't make you a terrible person. There is so much education and information out there, about how to lose weight and become healthier. Go find it! Start making progress, and fall in love with your body along the way. Don't decide you want to be unhealthy forever because it's easier.
Empowering Overweight People
There are very few sources of empowerment for people who are overweight or obese. While this cause is certainly far from pefect, the fact that it can make people who tend to be looked down upon in society feel valued and important is a good thing in my opionion.
My Proposed solution
I'm going to say this again, fat shaming is equally as bad and anyone who fat shames anyone can go fuck themselves. This, however, is not excuse for people like Health at Every Size to spread a dangerous lie about accepting obesity. We need to find a healthy medium through community, encouragement, and proper education. We need to encourage each other to become better. We need to help those struggling with their weight so they can become truly happy with how they look without either suffering health consequences or just accepting defeat because they feel weight loss is impossible. That's my problem with the way body positivity seems to be trending. The bottom line is that we need a middle ground, Body positivity can inspire too much complacency causing health consequences or just making someone feel like achieving their weight loss goals is impossible and pointless anyways.
Look at what's possible when someone is encouraged instead of degraded or told that they don't need to bother changing.
