General Article Being body positive

Topic Selected: Body Image Book Volume: 375

By Amy Dennis

‘I love my body’, says hardly anyone ever. And how appalling is that? Traditionally women’s bodies were always criticised, objectified and held up to impossibly high standards. But more recently men have also been sold an illusion of an unattainable body, meaning that nowadays both sexes feel that their bodies are inadequate and something to feel ashamed of.  

This years Good Childhood Report has found that yet again, children and young people in the UK are unhappy with the way that they look. We consider the importance of being body positive to improve young people’s wellbeing.

Body positivity movement 

After decades of being told that we’re not perfect if our bodies don’t conform to certain sizes, ability or ethnicity, the body positive movement is biting back. Too often comments or our own lack of self-worth around our bodies can lead us to be anxious, worried or even scared of our own natural shape.  

Self-esteem comes from within, but it is influenced by lots of t...

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