Body Neutrality

The body neutrality movement emerges almost as a counterpart to the body positivity movement—which has nothing to do with philosophical positivism—both forming part of a continuum that represents one's relationship with the body, generally referring more to form and size than to its functions.

In part, the body positivity movement arose as a response to the intense stigmatization of larger bodies seen in recent times. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity and their health consequences have become banners for many people to justify not only fatphobia but also social stigmatization processes, through which individuals with obesity or overweight are excluded from various spheres of social life. Stigmatization is the process by which negative characteristics unrelated to body size, such as lack of character, discipline, weakness, or lack of willpower, are attributed to them. In the face of this significant societal process, the body positivity movement emerged, seeking to accept bodies in any form they present, not fitting into common beauty standards or unattainable ideals of how a body "should" look. As with many social movements, radicalism in body positivity appeared, and some even considered that positivity meant disregarding one's health or discriminating against bodies that appeared more normative—that is, closer to what is "socially accepted."

In response to this radicalism, the "body neutrality" movement emerged, which, while seeking acceptance of bodies, also promotes bodily well-being through care, including nutrition, rest, and physical activity. It is about accepting bodies in different forms but taking care of them. In theory, it is almost natural that this movement arose as a response to body positivity, to prevent the balance from tipping toward a point that would be equally or more stigmatizing of normative bodies.

However, "body neutrality" remains more an ideological ambition than a true practical sense of the relationship with the body. Our relationship with the body is constructed in a complex manner, involving psychological, social, anthropological, and physiological factors that determine our connection to it. It is curious to treat our body as a separate entity when, ultimately, our being is one with the body. Thus, a "body neutrality," a fair middle ground regarding the ideas we have about our body, constitutes a utopia more than a practice. What can be achieved is to work on our body and mind to attain a more satisfying relationship with how we feel inhabiting our body—not just because of aesthetics, size, or appearance, but how it feels and reacts to various stimuli in daily life. Paradoxically, this relationship is only achieved through awareness of the sensations of inhabiting our body. Therefore, neutrality is not a zen state or maturity to be reached, but a continuous effort to place the influences, ideas, and words about our body that we constantly receive from our environment in their proper place.

— This article was originally published in Spanish by Liliana Martínez Lomelí. Translation generated with AI from the original text.