The movement for more body positivity has attracted women around the globe, all of whom have looked in the mirror at some point in their lives and not liked what they’ve seen.
We’re trained to hate ourselves from the moment we recognize our reflection. Even if we’re skinny, maybe we’re too thin? Maybe our nose is too big, our ears stick out, we have giant feet or ugly toes or greasy hair, or, or, or.
The fact that most of those dislikes were created by others, and sometimes by companies looking to sell us “fixes” for how we exist, is starting to convince more and more women that we’re just fine the way we are. That skinny is fine, fat is fine, athletic is fine, and honestly, at some point in our lives, we will probably be all of those things.
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Mik Zazon, who founded the #NormalizeNormalBodies hashtag, wanted to make sure that women with “normal” (average sized/shaped) bodies knew that they were fine the way they are, too. Women who aren’t thin, and who aren’t plus-sized, are often underrepresented in the media, but Mik told Shape it’s important that all bodies are seen as worthy of acceptance and love.
“The body-positive movement is specifically for people who have marginalized bodies,” says Zazon. “But I do feel like there’s some space to give women with ‘normal bodies’ more of a voice.”
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“I’ve lived in so many different bodies throughout my life,” adds Zazon. “This movement is my way of reminding women that you’re allowed to show up as you are. You don’t have to fit into a mold or category to feel comfortable and confident in your skin. All bodies are ‘normal’ bodies.”
Over 20,000 women have used her hashtag since it was created in 2019, and everyone – Zazon included – has learned from, and been inspired by, their posts.
Women have shared about parts of their bodies they’d always hated, like “hip dips,” until now.
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Women have shared about how they’ve been mean, and critical of, the bodies that do so much for them on a daily basis.
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The shares keep coming, reminders that for most of us, remembering to love our skin – “flaws” included – will be a daily, and sometimes uphill, battle that could last a lifetime.
Hashtags like these, though, remind us that the fight is worth it.
When we come together on social media, we not only prop up each other’s successes, but we are living proof that other people will never see us in the critical light we cast on ourselves.
Opening up online creates community, and women thrive on it.
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Zazon hopes that her movement will continue to grow, and to empower women who are starting to feel more liberated in their own bodies.
“Even if you don’t have a truly marginalized body type and aren’t seeing versions of yourself in mainstream media, you still have the microphone,” she says. “You just need to speak up.”
Well put!
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!