What Is Body Ambivalence?

Body positivity is a term no one can escape from – and for good reason. We’re finally learning how to embrace our bodies for what they are, and we’re squashing negative talk about anyone else’s body. 

But what is body ambivalence? It may be a new wave taking the beauty, fashion, and lingerie world by storm. It also may be replacing body positivity!

This term came to light thanks to Jameela Jamil, one of the most outspoken celebrities regarding body confidence and beauty standards. According to Jezebel, Jameela said of body ambivalence: “Imagine just not thinking about your body. You’re not hating it. You’re not loving it.” 

Jameela Jamil via IMDB

The concept of body ambivalence, or body neutrality, means that we just live life as if the way our body looks, the way we dress, and how we look in general just doesn’t matter. We don’t raise certain bodies, abilities, looks, and weight up or down; we just exist and everyone is beautiful and sexy and that’s that. 

So how is this different than body positivity? The end goal of body positivity is for everyone to feel beautiful and confident and represented in society, and to eliminate beauty standards all together. We should see everyone in advertisements, we should challenge the fashion and lingerie industries to create for everyone, and we should stop talking badly about ourselves and others. 

Image via Feminism In India

Well, body ambivalence means that we just don’t regard the body at all. Advertisements are to sell the products, sexiness is a more broad term that is determined by the person, and we just don’t acknowledge others’ bodies in a public way. While we may have thoughts in our head, we leave them out of the world. People are free to live their lives without being targeted for their bodies, their weight, their ability, or anything else. 

This new trend would also relieve much of the pressure we all feel to look a certain way, because it wouldn’t necessarily matter. We would have more room to be ourselves through and through. 

Some good advice via Green Mountain At Fox Run

Do you think that body ambivalence is unrealistic, or do you hope that it continues to be talked about until the point that we all just live our lives without caring so much about our looks? 

Let us know in the comments below what you think!

Let’s keep the conversation going on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. 

Until next time, 

Alicia 

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