The other day I read a New York Times article that bashed the body positivity movement. The author depicted this mindset to be unhealthy in how it enables people to maintain weights that may contribute to adverse health effects.

There were so many things wrong with this point of view that I don't even know where to begin. While I understand that people are entitled to their opinions, this woman was forming her opinions based on incorrect assumptions. Before you criticize something, make sure you understand what you're criticizing.

I'm a huge proponent of body-positivity and HAES (health at every size), and I was surprised by the author's complete misunderstanding of the movements since she confessed that she used to support these viewpoints as well. Although she outlined some core concepts correctly, she based her criticisms on one very flawed point: the body positive movement promotes a lifestyle which ignores health and appearance in favor of self-love.

In fact, body-positivity places great emphasis on health and appearance but does so in the context of self-love. This is a movement that calls on people to recognize that a healthy body does not look one certain way. This means you can be skinny and healthy, you can be fat and healthy, you can be any size in between and healthy.

The incorrect assumption most people make about this mindset is that it gives people permission to be unhealthy in the name of body acceptance and non-judgment. Body-positivity does not make any attempt to claim that everyone can be healthy at any size. What it does claim, is that different people can be healthy at different sizes.

There are people who are naturally more muscular, leaner, heavier, more prone to weight gain etc. The weight and size that is healthy for one person may cause real health concerns in another. Being body-positive means realizing that your body is its best when it is healthy, cared for, and comfortable.

Body-positivity is NOT skinny-shaming, promoting obesity, or enabling unhealthy lifestyles. It is not an excuse to be whatever size you want because "health comes in all shapes and sizes". It IS accepting that there is no one standard for health or beauty because our bodies are just as unique and individualized as we are. It is a reminder that healthy bodies vary in shape and size, and that's OK.

The other assumption that is falsely made about the body-positive movement is that it demonizes diets, exercise, or any efforts to change your body. People reduce it to passive acceptance of our bodies as they are, without regards to health or well-being. This could not be further from the truth.

While body positivity does include accepting your body as it is in the moment, it also emphasizes well-being and care for the body. It acknowledges that our bodies are constantly changing and growing and that is not inherently good or bad. It takes the value out of a body and instead focuses on how we can feel our best.

You can be body-positive and want to lose weight. You can be body-positive and want to gain weight. You can be body-positive and want to change your body. Wanting to change your body in a healthy way, for whatever purpose, is not inherently against body positivity. Wanting to change your body because you hate it is another thing entirely.

Basically, being body-positive is simply not judging the bodies of others and not judging your own body. It is recognizing that health does come in different sizes, and also recognizing that not every size is healthy for you personally. It is giving your body the love and respect it deserves, and treating it only with patience, gentleness, and care.