Are we taking body positivity too far?
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Pear, hourglass, apple, inverted triangle, banana, figure eight; do these labels sound all too familiar?
Well if these weren’t already enough, women can now further define themselves by their body shape thanks to the new line of Real Beauty Products by Dove.
After all, there is no better way to ‘represent diversity’ than to limit one’s choice of body wash to six specifically shaped bottles.
If you ever felt ashamed about your more than curvaceous figure when shopping for shampoo bottles then fear no more.
No longer do you have to look at the straight rectangular bottle with envy as you look down at your six-pack of rolls.
You can finally go to the supermarket and buy a health product that embraces the real you, whatever body shape (so long as it is one of the six provided) you are.
You interested?
Me either.
There is no doubt that we are living in a world where the media is doing excessive damage to our body image.
The Dove Global Beauty and Confidence Report in 2016 found that 89 per cent of women are willing to cancel an event, job interviews or plans because of the way they look.
In fact, 70 per cent of women wanted the media to portray more diversity.
But this drive for diversity may actually be having an adverse affect on women’s self-confidence. When we are constantly being reminded to ‘love your curves’, ‘embrace our thighbrow’, ‘flaunt our #cellulitesaturday’ it becomes all we think about.
Now we cannot even escape these obsessive thoughts when we have a shower.
Our private realm is being invaded by this reminder that we have to look a certain way; whether that be curvy, round, straight or triangular.
I mean this campaign is just as bad as Zara’s recent, ‘Love your curves’ poster that featured two slender models or Victorias Secret ‘Perfect’ body- line that featured seven slender models.
So, if you ever thought that we had come a long way in the promotion of body positivity then think again.
After all, the first step to progress is acceptance.
How are we meant to accept ourselves when we are forced to fit into one of these objectified categories?
Body positivity does not mean that we have to feel great about ourselves all the time. It simply means, that we no longer have to become fixated on the way we look 24/7.