Miguel ( 10 years ago )
Namaste,To me, body acceptance is a two fold issue. First, it means to me that it is not my place to judge otrehs' bodies, precisely because those are *their* bodies. If I had no eyes with which to see, or hands with which to feel, would I judge their bodies? Probably not. Their health, their size, their genetic makeup, what they eat or don't eat- these are none of my business. I believe that people ought to have dominion over their own bodies. I also acknowledge that some people live in  food deserts,' and so have varying degrees of access to healthcare, food choices, etc. Shaming people into looking a certain way is harmful. Second, body acceptance- of my own body- means that I must accept my body today as it is, regardless of its imperfections, however real or perceived. It means that I will not abuse my body to force it to conform to some ideal. I will not equate size or shape with health. It means that I prioritize emotional and psychological health, and recognize that while physical health is important, and affect psychology, it is not to be based on looks. Blood-work, bones scans, and such are between my doctor and me, and I should follow physician recommendations, based on my medical needs.This is the only body I have, it belongs only to me. Your body is your own. Judgement based on looks is unnecessary.xo