I’ve been known to be delusionally optimistic from time, it’s no secret.
As someone who strongly advocated for plus-size and body positivity, delusional optimism is but a side effect of being told “you don’t fit in” for the longest time.
When you are faced with enough opposition to last you a lifetime of body trauma, the only viable way to deal with your reflection is to either shame yourself into change, or positively affirm yourself constantly.
I chose the latter.
At the tender age of 29, I have seen many body standards come & go, but I am yet to see one that centers around acceptance.
Why? (You may ask)
Because the beauty industry thrives on ‘imperfection’ & correcting ‘wrongs’ that never existed before you were told they were wrong.
This isn’t a new school of thought, but what is new to me is the notion that I don’t need to conform to any of it.
Since it’s Winter, I’ve seen so many personalities & influencers change their perspective on lifestyle & image. “Summer bodies are made in winter” — is the phrase everyone uses.
This came as no surprise to me, however, it did leave me feeling a little unrepresented. It was through this thought-process that I realised how I placed so much importance on being represented, but too little on representing who I really am.
I don’t need to be a plus-size girlie, or even positive about my body to accept it & like what I see in the mirror.
This new era I’m ushering in is called Body Neutral Niyaal.
Body Neutral Niyaal doesn’t care about whether fashion is inclusive or not, she’s going to wear it anyway. She’s stylish, she’s not delusional (okay maybe a little) and she’s fully grounded in her self worth without attaching image to it.
Sometimes she’ll feel uncomfortable, and that’s okay too — because change isn’t a comfortable thing. She may even make better health choices, or she may not.
But she won’t base those choices on whether it’s going to fit the ‘brand’ or the ‘box’ of her image.
She doesn’t need Ashley Graham’s permission to feel attractive & wear a bikini, much less anyone else’s.
And if you’re sick of being fed the narrative that you don’t fit in too, perhaps this post is for you. Because essentially, I’m saying that you don’t need to.
NIYAAL RAKIEP 