What Has Nudity Got to do With Body Positivity?
This May Be the Right Time to Turn Towards Body Neutrality
Once, we all dreamed of a world where women are appreciated for their minds rather than their bodies. We looked forward to a time when women’s bodies would cease to be objectified, hypersexualised and fetishised. We lamented the ills of capitalism and the exploitation of women. However, the recent proliferation of a variety of naked bodies all over the media in the ongoing body positivity campaign seems like a double-edged sword. For what it’s worth, It doesn’t elevate women to anything more than their bodies. But before I get hunted down by the body-shaming police, let me break this down.
By promoting beauty ideals that were practically impossible for many women to reach, patriarchy created and nurtured insecurities amongst many of us, while capitalism profited from it. More than many, I know how debilitating it can be to live with a low sense of self-worth. I understand how soul-crushing it is to look at your reflection in the mirror and hate the woman staring back at you. I acknowledge the struggle of trying to live up to false ideals of perfection. And most especially, I recognise how these feelings can impact our relationships, careers and mental health.
