Lizzo Speaks on Body Positivity, How It Has Become Commercialized and Doesn’t Include All Shapes

Lizzo speaks about the appropriation of the body positivity movement, saying she is working on being “body normative.”

What crosses your mind when you think of “body positivity”? Perhaps a slim person is the first thing to pop into your mind. Body positivity is a lot more than being thin. Body positivity is about making all body types and shapes comfortable and trying to stray away from the “perfect” beauty standards media has created. It’s more than being fit and eating a salad; it’s embracing your body as it is and work towards loving yourself. It doesn’t necessarily involve hitting the gym or doing extreme diets.

Lizzo, a singer known for her incredible vocals, uses her voice to speak up about causes she is passionate about. Recently her conversation involves  Black Lives Matter and body positivity. The latter, the singer feels like the movement has taken a turn away from its purpose.

“It’s commercialized. Now, you look at the hashtag ‘body-positive,’ and you see smaller-framed girls, curvier girls. Lotta white girls. And I feel no ways about that because inclusivity is what my message is always about,” she told Vogue. “I’m glad that this conversation is being included in the mainstream narrative. What I don’t like is how the people that this term was created for are not benefiting from it. Girls with back fat, girls with bellies that hang, girls with thighs that aren’t separated, that overlap. Girls with stretch marks. You know, girls who are in the 18-plus club. They need to be benefiting from … the mainstream effect of body positivity now. But with everything that goes mainstream, it gets changed. It gets — you know, it gets made acceptable.”

Lizzo aiming to normalize more oversized body shapes as a way of saving the “body positivity” movement and remind us why it started in the first place is a blessing in disguise.

positivity & inclusivity. I am grateful for your music as it has inspired me to begin to like myself again. Much love to you! #eatingdisorders #bodypositivitiy #lizzo #jameelajamil #inspired #WomenSupportingWomen

— Jennifer Remillard (@jenni_remi) September 26, 2020

The pandemic has made us learn to take care of ourselves mentally and physically. Remember, you are beautiful, no matter your shape. Being skinny doesn’t mean you are healthy as long as you are taking care of yourself and accepting all you, stretch marks and belly.