Body Positivity: An Evolving Process

“She is really large”, or “oh wow, she lost way too much weight” are the comments singer Adele and countless other women have received. Adele’s album, “19”, debuted in 2008 and it was a hit. While many loved her music, they had a lot to say about her figure. Ever since Adele became popular, she was known for her talented voice but she had always been associated with having a larger and curvier figure and unfortunately, she was even labeled “fat”. 

Recently, Adele took to Instagram to thank her friends, family, and fans for the ‘birthday love’ she had received on her 32nd birthday. The media could not help but notice how slim she looked. Adele who was once labeled “fat” was now being labeled as “unhealthy”. Who would have thought that a simple birthday post could have sparked so much controversy? Well, in the society we currently live in, fat shaming and body shaming are very prevalent. 

Due to the massive amounts of heat Adele is getting for losing so much weight, she now feels self conscious about her slimmer figure. She felt unhappy when she was larger, and she now feels embarrassed to show off her thin physique. This is a perfect example of how society will always judge someone no matter how large or thin they are… they are never satisfied. Notice how I worded that last sentence, “...THEY are never satisfied”. When it comes to gaining or losing weight, it should not be about what THEY think, it should be about how YOU feel. 

Although we are currently quarantined, now is the time that people start working out to gain their “summer body”. When trying to achieve that “optimal” figure, do not compare yourself to others and do not feel that you need to push yourself beyond your limits, because that is “unhealthy”. Within the past few months, I have turned to working out as a way to release some stress and “reset” my mind. Instead of looking at working out as a way to improve my body, I have decided to use exercise as a way to improve my mentality. 

Body positivity is something our society needs to better accept and better incorporate into our daily lives. Including larger women, plus size women, women with stretch marks, and women with unique imperfections into photoshoots and advertisements is a slow but evolving process that must continue. 

It is okay to feel unhappy about your weight and physique and it is okay to do something about that but it is not okay to alter your body for someone other than yourself. Remember to never judge or comment on one’s figure because their body has nothing to do with yours. Empowered women empower women, so spread confidence rather than criticism!