The Times, They Are A-Changin’

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Sharon Horev
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Rebecca Maloof

The idea of body positivity and self-love are relatively new to the masses, but what do they really mean? The concept of body positivity has boomed, and the "body posi" movement is all around us. 

In the age of body positivity, it seems everyone is more aware than ever of the importance of a healthy relationship with your body. Fashion houses, clothing companies, and marketing campaigns are (slowly but surely) changing their beauty standards and allowing for more inclusion in these creative and artistic industries. 

So, let's talk about body positivity for a second. More and more companies have started using "plus-size" models, more sizes are being offered in retail stores, and celebrities are speaking out about their own struggles with body image. Of course, the surge in the body-positivity movement is thanks to social media platforms like TikTok, allowing more creators to have a platform and share their opinions. The body positivity movement influenced a lot of perspectives on beauty and how we define it as a society. 

It's possible we have Gen Z to thank for all the awareness around body image, as this generation has made their voices heard on certain stereotypes in society, whether that be LGBTQIA+ rights, dominating the Black Lives Matter movement, or using social media platforms to celebrate diversity. 

While all of these issues are so different, they do have common ground, and that is, they are all representative of the underdogs. One thing, though, is sure. The body positivity movement has made an impact in all of these communities. Not only do we now celebrate bodies that look "different" from what society defines as acceptable, but we also have new ideas of beauty altogether. 

The body positivity movement has allowed those struggling with eating disorders a platform to share vulnerable stories about their struggles with body image; it has permitted black women a platform in which they can share the pressures and difficulties women of color face, and it has given plus size women a platform that they can control, allowing them to be faces of attractiveness.

Beauty is no longer exclusively white, thin, and wealthy. The body positivity movement has changed the standards, and the truth is, now, beauty and attractiveness can be whatever we want them to be. So, if you're a man but want to wear a skirt, go ahead. If you're fat but want to wear a teeny tiny bikini, go ahead. The body positivity movement has made these things possible, lowering the standards and pressure we face to be seen as attractive. These standards are slowly dissipating, although there is lots of work to still be done. Smile today, knowing that the times, they are a-changin'.

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