No matter who you are, you are likely to struggle with your body image at some point in your life. It’s typical to feel like striving to regain our confidence is a never-ending loop because of the people who dragged us down in the first place. We can often feel compelled to compare ourselves to others on social media platforms. I’m going to discuss Lizzo, an American singer and fashion entrepreneur, and her struggles with body image in today’s blog. I’ll also discuss body diversity and its importance.
Lizzo launched a Fabletics Shapewear Brand, Yitty, with neon colors and inclusive sizing on April 12th, promoting bold designs and body positivity.
“I was tired of seeing this sad, restrictive shapewear that literally no one wanted to wear. I decided to take on the challenge of allowing women to feel unapologetically good about themselves again.”
-Lizzo
Source: https://yitty.fabletics.com.
As a young girl, she experienced wearing body girdles and skin-tight suits to contour her body shape. Lizzo talked about how this experience was incredibly uncomfortable for her as a preteen. I feel that as preteens, we are just stepping into the idea of confidence, and what comes with that; learning how to build confidence, and learning what it is to have it. The journey to confidence is one that is a different experience for everyone.
“It was a really painful, shameful experience … because I grew up in a society where as soon as I was aware of it, I was made to feel ashamed of how I looked.”
-Lizzo
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/30/lizzo-launches-yitty-shapewear-brand-in-tie-up-with-fabletics.html.
Lizzo eventually quit the bras, shapewear, and skin-tight suits.
“I got to a point where I was like, ‘F–k that,’” she laughed. “ I stopped wearing bras even. I went all the way to the other side, to liberate myself and find my self-love and body positivity.”
-Lizzo
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/30/lizzo-launches-yitty-shapewear-brand-in-tie-up-with-fabletics.html.
She did this for nearly a decade and then only re-introduced those exact things once she stepped foot into the public spotlight. This is when Lizzo re-created her own version of shapewear. Making these pieces essential to her wardrobe. I wonder how we might encourage a positive body image not only in ourselves but also in each other. Lizzo was one of the first people that had come to my mind. She had such negative experiences as a preteen with her body and wanted to share those experiences with others. She is able to help others feel confident in their bodies through her music and shapewear.
As someone who consumes social media platforms such as Instagram and Tik-Tok, I come across trends that create a false reality for our bodies. Social media can lead to body dissatisfaction, a bad mood, and so much more. So it is important to be aware of what we allow ourselves to consume. It is common to subconsciously compare our bodies with others as we scroll through our media feeds. Therefore, if we catch ourselves doing so, we should remove this content from our sight. It is important to remember that our differences are what make us special and unique.
The last thing I would like to talk about today is body diversity and the value that it holds. Body diversity holds an incredible amount of value and is something that should be talked about more often. The more body diversity that we see through social media, or athletic shapewear brands like Yitty, the more we can learn to appreciate every single person’s differences. There are many ways we can practice body diversity and positive body image.
Possible ways to practice body diversity and positive body image:
- Positive affirmations: Jotting down or saying out loud positive aspects about ourselves.
- Focus on our well-being, mentally, not just physically.
- Surround ourselves with people who make us happy and lift us up.
- and so many more ways that could work even better for you!
We all deserve to feel confident, embrace who we are, and love our bodies.
ShoutOut! James Madison University 