What’s With All The Ableism?

Since this is Radically Confident’s first post, I thought I would start off by explaining why I am writing. The associations between a negative body image and low self-confidence, and a higher risk of depression and unhealthy eating habits (Burrowes, 2013), demonstrate the importance of the body positive movement. Images in the media not only perpetuate the ‘thin ideal,’ but they also suggest to women that cellulite, stretch marks, acne or any other visible ‘flaws’ are not acceptable. The aim of the body positive movement is to change these ‘norms’ and help people to develop a positive body image. There has been some success in making changes as to what is presented in the media, such as Aerie choosing to stop photoshopping their models:

But, the body positive movement still has some work to do, particularly in terms of diversity. Radically Confident is here to start a conversation about what the movement is doing right, what the movement has gotten wrong, and what should come next.

Currently, one of the biggest problems with the body positive movement is its focus on able-bodied individuals. Why should those with disabilities be excluded from the movement? The struggle to ‘love your body’ is not just felt by the able-bodied. People with disabilities deserve a place in this movement too. By only including able bodies in body positive campaigns, the movement is marginalizing and silencing a group of individuals who need to be included. So why haven’t we seen more individuals with disabilities in these campaigns? One theory is that many able-bodied individuals associate disabilities with suffering and a loss of control, which are fears that many people don’t want to acknowledge (Wendell, 1996). But, this demonstrates the larger problem of what the misconceptions are about having a disability.

Empowerment should not be reserved for able-bodied individuals, yet it is extremely difficult to find examples of body positive campaigns that include individuals with disabilities. The photograph below is one of the few images I found that was specifically associated with the body positive movement:

Of course, not everything that contributes to body positivity needs for be associated with the movement. There are some examples of encouraging developments in the fashion industry:

Last month, Madeline Stuart, an 18-year-old model with Downs Syndrome, made headlines for walking in New York Fashion Week, and she became a role model to many aspiring models. This is a step in the right direction because these headlines started a dialogue about the exclusivity of the fashion world, and helped to break down some barriers. However, I am hopeful that we will reach a point where a model with Down syndrome, or any other disability, makes headlines for the reasons other than his or her disability.

Fitness photographer, Michael Stokes, created interesting project to help reduce stereotypes about amputees. He photographed wounded war veterans whose limbs had been amputated. He chose to treat these veterans as he would any other fitness model, by focusing on their strength. Although this project was directed towards wounded veterans, this is a huge step in the right direction for changing the way in which people view amputees and for helping those with disabilities to feel confident in themselves and their bodies.

Another project that received international attention,“Because Who is Perfect, Get Closer,” was started in 2013 by Pro Infirmis. They created mannequins that were based off of real people with disabilities. These mannequins were placed in storefronts in Zurich, Switzerland. The video of the process, and international news articles associated with it, made visible the problems with the way bodies are depicted by the fashion industry and helped these individuals to see their bodies in a new, empowering way.

Back in the U.S., Nordstrom has been a leader in the fashion industry by including individuals with disabilities in their catalogs since 1997. This is something that the company takes pride in, even though they do not choose to constantly remind people that they are being inclusive. Instead, they place the models with disabilities in their catalogs because it reflects the diversity of their customers. No fuss necessary. Hopefully, the body positive campaigns of the future will take note and follow suit.

Ableism is an important issue to address in terms of the inclusivity of the body positive movement. My hope is that this post has reached some people who had never considered this issue before. Let’s expand the movement and reject ableism.

References:

Burrowes, N. (2013). Body image- a rapid evidence assessment of the literature. A product on behalf of the Government Equalities Office.

Wendell, Susan. The Rejected Body: Feminist Philosophical Reflections on Disability. New York, NY: Routledge, 1996