BODY NEUTRALITY VS.BODY POSITIVITY

Why Gen Z is focusing on function over appearance.

- M Vinayak

For years, the body positivity movement has dominated social discourse, encouraging individuals to embrace their bodies regardless of societal beauty standards. While its intentions were noble—challenging unrealistic beauty ideals—the movement has evolved in ways that some find overwhelming and unsustainable.

Now, Gen Z—a generation known for its pragmatic and mental health-conscious approach—is reshaping the conversation with body neutrality. This philosophy shifts the focus from loving one’s body aesthetically to appreciating it for what it can do. It removes the pressure to feel beautiful at all times and replaces it with a healthier, function-focused mindset.

This shift is more than a fleeting trend—it’s a revolution in self-perception, deeply rooted in psychological research, personal experiences, and a rejection of performative self-love.

Body positivity as a movement had begun in the 1960s as part of the fat acceptance movement, challenging societal norms that equated thinness with worth. By the early 2010s, social media fuelled its rise, with brands like Dove, Aerie, and Fenty Beauty showcasing models of diverse shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.

While the movement initially aimed to create a more inclusive definition of beauty, it inadvertently placed a new kind of pressure: the obligation to love one’s body at all times.

The Pressure To Love Yourself

Take 21-year-old Mira, for instance. One summer afternoon in 2022, she was scrolling through Instagram, feeling increasingly detached from the messages flooding her feed. “Love your curves,” one caption read. “Your body is beautiful just as it is!” said another. But Mira didn’t feel beautiful that day. In fact, she felt the opposite. Instead of lifting her up, body positivity made her feel like she was failing at self-love.

A study published in the