Body Positivity and Social Media
Can we talk about body positivity for a sec?
Last week I shared a very personal part of my life with you all, and I was so touched by the overwhelming messages and comments of support. The messages that flooded my inbox from others that have either been through the same or are going through something similar were mind blowing. For the first time, I feel like I'm not alone. I never expected this type of support. When I pressed the "publish" button, I just asked the universe to be kind and not to send negativity my way.
Want to know another little secret? I’d be lying if I said I could rock this sports bra message 100%.
It’s more like an 80% truth.
And, I’m not ashamed.
When Square Organics reached out saying they wanted to send me a sports bra, I never in a billion years would I have imagined that they'd be sending me one that read in all caps: "YES, THEY'RE ORGANIC." When I opened the package, I couldn't stop laughing.
In my early 20's I decided to get a breast argumentation. It wasn't out of a whim. When I was much younger, growing up I had always wanted boobs. So, at 24 I got them. I went from a small B to a full C. Not a drastic difference or ridiculously huge. I did it for me and no one else to be slightly more proportioned.
Do I regret this decision? Sometimes; Only, because they get in the way while I'm working out. Now looking back, if body positivity had been an open discussion, I don't think I would have gone through this change. I would have been able to learn to love me the way that I am and accept my body for what it is.
This is why it is so important to not body shame people. It's important to have an open conversation about body positivity and accept people for who they are not what they look like. We must pave the way for the younger generations of females to let them know what they are beautiful the way that they are.
In the age of Instagram, it's difficult not compare ourselves to others, especially when it comes to how we look. But for all the insecurities social media can provoke, it has also given us a platform to be proud of our bodies no matter what our size is. The body-positive movement isn't about thin-shaming or encouraging an unhealthy lifestyle; it's about supporting everyone in their search for more self-esteem and self-confidence.
Instagram can be as encouraging or discouraging as you make it. If you only follow models and celebrities, you'll be bombarded with photoshopped images and unrealistic expectations every day. That's why you should mix a healthy dose of body positivity into your Instagram feed. Some of my favorites? @gofitjo, @MISSGEOBURKE, @healthyisthenewskinny, @movemeant, and @dulceida.
What are your favorite #bodypositive accounts to follow?
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