All About Body Positivity and Why It’s Important

Written by : Ica Lim 

As the Legend himself once sang, ‘Love your curves and all your edges; all your perfect imperfections,’. Love may be an elusive topic and the concept of self-love is oftentimes subjective, but your understanding of the subject can deepen with the help of one movement: body positivity. 

There are hundreds of campaigns that bring the movement forward but despite how moving they all are, it is no easy feat to overcome one’s insecurities. People may think that body positivity is grounded on aligning perspectives of the self when in fact, it’s so much more than that. 

For centuries, people believed that specific criteria must be met to be attractive. The goal of the movement is to highlight how one’s body image ultimately influences mental health and well-being. It covers beauty and its wide spectrum of influence on confidence and self-awareness.

However, as more young people feed their curiosity, they tend to find answers from the media. The platform, although useful, tends to portray beauty in the highest and most unrealistic of expectations and anyone of any age and gender is vulnerable. The good thing is, body positivity is achievable--and we’re here to encourage you to trust the process! 

What ‘body positivity’ truly entails

Like all good things, the benefits of a healthy self-image don’t come quickly. The body positivity movement is a process and there isn’t exactly a fool-proof recipe to achieving a well-rounded perception of beauty. There are several main elements in the movement and they are:

• Accepting that every human being’s physical attributes are unique, imperfections and all.
• A sense of content and gratitude for the body you are born with. 
• A firm belief in the self and exuding confidence from it. 
• Admiring your natural physical attributes even if they don’t ‘fit’ current beauty standards. 

And so much more! 

 

The fine line

KURVE believes that the pinnacle of the movement is acceptance. Major factors that distort our perception of ourselves stem from the willingness to express or showcase universally ‘ideal’ physical features. There is nothing wrong with flaunting your best body but, as always, a line must be drawn when you become too proud of an imitation, rather than your true self.

Why it’s important

Body positivity actively responds to current beauty standards. People can argue about what truly defines beauty and more often than not, these conversations are healthy! Body positivity is important because it enables a person to identify their strongest qualities that no external force can measure. 

It’s important because it helps us focus on inner beauty on top of the physical. It promotes self-compassion and representation. No matter what shade your skin is or what body type you have, a positive outlook on your physical attributes makes you confident in your skin. The message is clear: you are beautiful, in all shapes and sizes. 

The bottom line

Beauty shouldn’t scare you--it should empower you to be yourself. The pressures of social media can be appalling but it does provide avenues for people who question unrealistic portrayals of beauty. More and more people respond to these standards by posting images of them flaunting their curves and edges. Some even made use of the online platform to share their courageous journeys towards achieving a healthy body image. 

Through these stories, we see that body positivity plays a significant role in our overall mental health and well-being. Stories of self-compassion, love, and acceptance bring light to a topic that can often be difficult to discuss. The more you challenge your insecurities, the more likely you are to embrace them and gain a better attitude towards self-care.

KURVE believes that every woman, of all shapes and sizes, is unique and beautiful in their own way--and we’re rooting for them, one style at a time. 

What are your thoughts about body positivity? Share your story through our social media handles!