One of the rising trends of the recent years is the body positivity, which means that one should be at peace with themselves and love their own bodies. So, how healthy is the body positivity?
In recent years, body perception has begun to change. The most striking example of this is that the plus-size models in the fashion industry, along with zero-size mannequins, begin to show on the catwalks. Although this perception is very new in Turkey, it is affecting people recently. In recent months, a famous beauty brand, with the participation of media members and famous names introduced its advertising campaign called “The Beauty is not Measured by Numbers”.
Sencer Piyancı's Kilostrophobia book, which was published by Pena Publishing in recent months, focuses on body positivity. The books its readers to leave caring about their weight and accept themselves as beautiful as they are.
What does “Body Positivity” mean?
In order to show the lives of those exposed to verbal and physical violence and to make them feel alone because of their extra weights, Sencer Piyancı tells us about the meaning of body positivity and its impact on human health as well as talking about the movements from which she was inspired to write the book: In my book, I want to call people to body positivity saying that do not care about your extra weights and just enjoy the life. The concept of body positivity is not only about weight, but about a person's reconciliation with their own bodies. Body affirmation means overweight or weak, physically handicapped or amputee, regardless of man's own body. Of course, the health of the body is very important, diabetes or those who have heart disease, or the physical problems caused by weight removal is of course necessary. In other words, body affirmation does not mean ignoring all the health problems that you have experienced in your body with an optimistic approach.
The concept of body positivity is not a very new concept around the world says Piyanci. However, it does not stand out in the media as it needs to be. It is not visible enough. However, in recent years, it has become more popular with the participation of well-known brands and media organizations. I was inspired by both the concept and the influencers, who honestly manifest themselves despite their weights. I wanted to put forward a guidebook on this topic, and here came Kilostrophobia.
What do experts say?
In spite of the popularized body positivity movement, in recent years many people have resorted to stomach surgery to get rid of their excess weight. We asked dietician Damla Arslan what body positivity means for her. Arslan states that unless the body mass index is over 30, excess weight does not affect our health. What I call BMI is the ratio of weight to height. If you have more weight than your height, it triggers chronic diseases along with diabetes, heart disease and blood pressure problems. Positive behavior of people without judging themselves makes it easy to lose weight. Stress is an obstacle to lose weight. The well-being of the person as well as the health of the person makes our job easier.
In the USA, where this movement has begun, discussions continue on whether the body positivity is healthy or suitable for everyone. Connie Sobczak, who founded the non-profit organization The Body Positive in 1996 when the body positivity was not that popular, complains that the message "each body is beautiful" is being ignored. According to Soczak, body positivity just is perceived as a movement specific to white women with the effect of the advertisements of big firms. “Yet, body positivity is for everyone and for each body, aside from those who have a health problem” adds Sobczak.
