#bodypositivity: More than just a Body

Our society still strongly defines people by their appearance. But a movement is on the rise.

Thin people are considered more attractive, trustworthy, and successful. On the other hand, people with fat bodies or disabilities have empirically proven disadvantages in many areas of life – from lesser job opportunities to worse health care. However, resistance to discrimination and modern beauty standards is growing. Almost seven million posts are posted to Instagram with the hashtag #bodypositivity, and the beauty industry is using the trend to its advantage. Body positivity activists are noticing this and are becoming increasingly critical of the trend which now marginalizes the very people who started the movement. They all share this same opinion: we are more than our bodies.