Why I don’t believe in body-neutrality
The body-positive movement has brought many important ideas into the mainstream, one of which is body-neutrality.
This concept suggests that instead of focusing on loving or hating your body, you can adopt a neutral mindset—one where your appearance doesn’t matter, and you focus solely on your body’s functionality and how it serves you. The idea behind body-neutrality is that by stepping away from intense emotions about our bodies, we free ourselves from the societal pressure to look a certain way.
While I respect where this comes from, I don’t believe body-neutrality is realistic—or even desirable. I don’t want to be “NEUTRAL” about my body. Neutral implies we don’t care. And actually we care, we care a lot!
Here’s the thing: We all have feelings about our bodies. How can we expect to be neutral? We are emotional beings. Personally, I feel a lot of things about my body. I feel grateful for how it supports me every day.
I feel grief in some ways it’s changed over the years. I feel delight when my hair is doing its thing just so, and I feel anger for what my body has been through—particularly after my double mastectomy. My body carries all these emotions, and I imagine yours does too.
Rather than aiming for neutrality, which denies these very real feelings, I believe in being Body-Current. This means being with my body as it is right now, acknowledging all the emotions that come with it, and staying connected to my body’s current state. By honoring where we are in this moment—without judgment—we’re able to tune into what our bodies need and respond with true nourishment and care.
It’s okay to feel things about your body. It’s human.
What matters is learning to be present with those feelings, without letting them dictate your worth. Being Body-Current offers that freedom. With gratitude and compassion, Nina
P.S. If you’re ready to step into a more caring, present and honoring relationship with your body, The Body-Peace Keepers small group (we meet on Zoom) might be the place for you. Simply email me at nina@ninamanolson.com and we can schedule a conversation. I’d love to chat with you.
Nina Manolson, MA, is the founder of Body-Peace®.She helps women end the war with food and body and finally feel truly at home in their body—as it is.
She is known for her deeply feminist, anti-diet, body-peace® approach. She brings her 30 years of experience as a therapist, Body-Trust® Guide and Psychology of Eating Teacher to helping women create a respectful and trusting relationship with their food and body.
Nina’s Body-Peace® work is all in service of helping people get off the diet roller-coaster, and into a compassionate and powerful way of eating & living which creates a positive long-lasting change in and with their bodies. Her courses, coaching, poems and Body-Peace APP positively change the conversation that women are having with their body.
Start your Body-Peace® journey with this free masterclass that will help you understand and shift your relationship with your body.
