As a whole, our physical bodies are widely subject to scrutiny and criticism. Value beyond functionality has been prescribed to the physical form and has become ingrained in us at a societal level. The nonfunctional (and often primarily aesthetic) value that is assigned to one’s physical body is uniquely dangerous in its arbitrariness; “good” and “bad” exist on a nonlinear spectrum and are subject to change with the wind. For this reason, body neutrality may be the unexpected antidote to uprooting toxic emphasis on the importance of the body. Body neutrality is loosely described as a return to functionality. Not to be confused with body positivity, body neutrality centers on acceptance of the physical form as it exists.
While it can appear to present similarly to body neutrality, body positivity aims to celebrate each and every body. It urges people to find beauty in their corporeal form yet the movement unknowingly boxes itself into a corner. There is an unspoken “despite” tacked onto the movement. Find beauty in your body “despite” it not fitting into cultural standards. “Despite” its perceived differences. Body positivity addresses the existence of a ranking system and attempts to override it by removing negativity from the scale.
Unfortunately, something as contrived as physical beauty can only exist in contrast to something lesser. Through years of media uplifting fairly rigid societal standards of beauty, this “lesser” beauty is not some ambiguous specter. The current beauty standard excludes more than it includes, leaving the vast majority scrambling to find beauty in themselves “despite”. Additionally, centering beauty has proven to lead to further divisions and only expands the horizons of what an unideal body is. Reclaiming all the different aspects of oneself that one may feel shame or insecurity about may inadvertently lead others to question parts of themselves that hadn’t previously been considered undesirable. Hip dips and the width of one’s rib cage most recently come to mind.
Body neutrality throws beauty out of its lexicon. Rather than sifting through the muddy waters of beauty, body neutrality focuses on acceptance and self-love. It urges those who practice to love their bodies because it is theirs. Their body is what carries them through everyday life and is only a fraction of what makes them whole. While neutrality may not inspire the most positive reaction, it is meant to give higher priority to a holistic view of the self.
How does one practice body neutrality? One effective method can be by taking a closer look at how we value our loved ones. Many find it easier to be positive towards others and give them the grace they do not allow for themselves. When considering a loved one and why they may be special to you, their physical beauty is often a drop in the bucket of their positive attributes. If you choose to examine this beauty further, much of it derives from positive feelings about them. We enjoy laughing with them, so their smile is beautiful. They bring joy into our lives, so their face is beautiful. It may be tricky, but the same can be applied toward ourselves.
Other methods can be implemented in your everyday life. Removing yourself from diet culture and making a choice to eat intuitively, changing exercise habits to not focus on weight loss, ceasing self-deprecating jokes and not engaging in negative self-talk and more are just a few changes you can make to practice body neutrality. When applied to the self and everyday life, the key is patience. As mentioned before, emphasis on the body and beauty reflects cultural values that are deeply entrenched in our society. Undoing such a mindset takes time. Practicing body neutrality for yourself can feel like a difficult journey to embark on, but the benefits are undeniable.
Practicing body neutrality rather than body positivity can have quickly recognizable benefits. It can change the way you work out, wear clothing and other daily practices. Recognizing that the body is just one aspect of us and is no more important than other aspects can be liberating. The realization frees us up for further self-actualization— we can attend to ourselves as a whole without being burdened by worries about the body.
