Trends and Exclusion in the Body Positive Community

Trends are not body positivity.

   Scrolling through Instagram, I noticed six consecutive posts about hip dips. Curiously, I decided to do some research on the topic. Instantly I noticed tons of articles proclaiming hip dip as “The new trend in body positivity.” Seriously? Who comes up with this stuff? Hip dip is simply an indentation caused by high hip bones. Furthermore, body positivity is supposed to be an inclusive community for all body types. To create trends in a movement that is intended to be trend free is oxymoronic. Also, hip dips shouldn’t have to be trendy to be considered beautiful.

Trends can become problematic.

    Remember two years ago when thigh gap was the trend? The gap between a woman’s thighs was considered most desirable. Women everywhere starved themselves and worked out excessively to achieve the look. Magazines were literally cutting off chunks of a model\’s thighs in Photoshop to make sure they had the coveted gap. Celebrities soon followed suit. Women on social media posed with their feet separated at uncomfortable distances to ensure their thigh gap was visible. I see hip dip creating the same outcome.

Instead of trends, focus on timelessness.

     Overall, focusing on one part of women\’s bodies gives some confidence at the expense of others. If you have hip dips, love them. If you don’t, that is okay too. Trends are temporary. What happens when a new trend arises? Do we just forget about those women? Instead of making one body part trendy, we should strive to make acceptance of all bodies timeless. We should be setting the example for young girls that no matter their body type, they deserve respect. Let’s make sure all women see reflections of themselves in the media. That is how we make body positivity a reality instead of a trend.