Body Positivity Movement Has Become Extreme and Needs Redefinition to Include Health Concerns
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/by/gabriella-lascano. "Opinion | Confessions of a Former Body Positivity Influencer - The New York Times." February 16, 2026. www.nytimes.com
The Gist
The author argues that the body positivity movement has gone too far by completely rejecting any discussion of health risks related to weight. She believes we can still love and accept all body types while also acknowledging that being very overweight can cause serious health problems, and people should be free to lose weight if they choose without being attacked for it.
Conclusion
The body positivity movement should be redefined to allow loving yourself at any size while also acknowledging health risks and supporting the freedom to pursue weight loss
Premises
- The body positivity movement has become increasingly extreme, attacking people for discussing weight loss or health concerns
- Being significantly overweight does increase documented health risks including diabetes, heart disease, and multiple cancers
- Two prominent body positivity influencers died young from apparent weight-related health complications after expressing regret about their size
- The author's own extreme weight gain (approaching 400 pounds at 5 feet tall) severely limited her physical abilities and quality of life
- The current movement creates fear and silence around legitimate health discussions, preventing people from making informed choices about their bodies
- It's possible to maintain self-love and body acceptance while simultaneously wanting to improve one's health through weight management
Assumptions
- Personal health outcomes should be a legitimate consideration in body positivity discussions
- Individual autonomy includes the right to pursue weight loss without being labeled fatphobic
- The deaths of the two influencers were likely related to their weight, though this isn't definitively established
- There is a meaningful distinction between accepting all body types and ignoring health risks
- Social movements can become counterproductively extreme and need course correction