The Truth About Positive Body Image for Black Women

How Black women can build better relationships with our bodies.

As a Black woman, it's easy to get caught up in society's messages about what our bodies should look like. Since we left the womb, we've been taught that we must be thin to be healthy – but this isn't true. Further, research has shown that thinness expectations are associated with poor psychological outcomes for Black women (Tylka et al., 2014). Thus, changing societal expectations is an upward battle we have little control over; we have complete control over how we perceive ourselves. 

While it's essential to take care of your body and love the skin you're in, it's also essential to have a positive body image. That means understanding that your worth is not based on size or shape. Today I’ll explore why having a positive body image is essential for Black women and how we can build better relationships with our bodies.

What is Positive Body Image?

Positive body image is the positive perception of one’s physical appearance and how we feel about ourselves internally. It encompasses self-acceptance, confidence, self-esteem, and overall positivity regarding our physical form. 

A positive body image isn't just about appreciating what you see in the mirror; it also means being kind and compassionate towards yourself regardless of any perceived imperfections or flaws. As Black women, we must develop a healthy relationship between our internal thoughts and feelings about our bodies. That starts with becoming aware of the harmful impacts of diet culture. 

Diet Culture & Weight Loss Attempts

Unfortunately, diet culture has become so ingrained into society that many people cannot go through their day without being bombarded by messages telling them they need to lose weight or reshape their bodies. Diet culture creates an environment where people are pushed into believing they have failed if they can’t “achieve” specific physical standards set by society — standards that are often impossible or damaging for individuals to maintain over time. 

We must be aware that attempted weight loss can add fuel to the fire when it comes down to maintaining a positive body image. Whether we’re ready to accept it, any attempt to change our body means some level of unhappiness with the body that we currently have. Because of this, when we fail to obtain the body we think we should have; it can leave us feeling worse about ourselves.

Building Better Relationships with Our Bodies

If we want to build better relationships with our bodies, we need to start with self-awareness — understanding why we have these feelings towards our bodies in the first place. There may be societal pressure impacting how we feel about ourselves, and uncovering that can help us challenge those negative beliefs through conscious effort. For instance, that can be achieved by replacing those negative thoughts with more affirming ones, such as “I am worthy no matter what I look like" or "My worth does not depend on my size." 

In addition, it’s equally important to focus on physical activities that bring us joy, such as dancing, yoga, or even taking leisurely walks. It might sound simple, but our beliefs about what our bodies can do often hold us back. Engaging in movements that challenge our beliefs about what we can do in our bodies can foster meaningful mind-body connections while simultaneously reducing stress levels! Doing this can teach you to embrace your body irrespective of size.

Ready to embrace your body no matter what size? You don't have to wait until you feel 100% positive about yourself - I'm here with five ways to kickstart the process of acceptance now! Let's get started.

5 Ways to Accept Your Body (No Matter What Size You Are!)

1: Surround Yourself with People who Speak Positively About Their Bodies

Having people around who support and love you is essential for self-acceptance. Please make sure that the people close to you are supportive of whatever size body you may have. It’s equally important to ensure they don’t speak negatively about their bodies. Doing so will make it easier for you to give yourself the same loving care and attention they do.

2: Don’t Compare Yourself To Others

Comparison is the thief of joy, no matter your size! Constantly comparing yourself to others can easily lead to feelings of inferiority and inadequacy. Everyone has different shapes, sizes, colors, and curves, so don't get down on yourself because someone else looks different than you—embrace all the beauty around you!

3: Embrace Your Body's Uniqueness

Your body is unique in many ways. Love the features that make it special—things like the shade of your skin or even a birthmark on your arm. Celebrate those features that makeup who YOU are instead of trying to conform to what society says we should look like.

4: Pursue Fitness From a Place of Self-Love & Not Self-Hate

We all want our bodies to feel healthy and strong, but sometimes too much focus on health can lead us down a slippery slope towards self-hatred —and nobody wants that! So if making lifestyle changes such as getting more active or eating more mindfully is something that interests you, great! Just remember to do it from a place of love and not hate--you deserve nothing less than that!

5: Wear Clothing That Makes You Feel Great

Whether it’s baggy jeans, an off-the-shoulder top, or something even more daring--wear what makes YOU feel good about YOUR body! Dressing confidently can go a long way in accepting who we are. So go ahead--rock those clothes with pride!

So, where do we go from here? 

Black women need to cultivate positive body images, so they don't become victims of societal pressures surrounding beauty standards—standards that are often impossible or damaging for individuals to maintain over time. 

The most important thing is becoming aware of why you may be struggling with your perceptions of beauty and then working towards replacing those negative thoughts with more affirming ones. Only then can you begin building better relationships with your bodies! 

With practice and patience, we can all learn how important it is to embrace ourselves wholeheartedly inside and out!

Reference 

Tylka, T.L., Annunziato, R.A., Burgard, D., Daníelsdóttir, S., Shuman, E., Davis, C., & Calogero, R.M. (2014). The weight-inclusive versus weight-normative approach to health: Evaluating the evidence for prioritizing well-being over weight loss. Journal of Obesity, 2014, 1-18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/983495

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