#BodyPositive? A critical exploration of the body positive movement within physical cultures taking an intersectionality approach.

Feminist activists and critical sport scholars in the global north have advocated for more inclusive representation of bodies and more accessible physical cultures. Body positivity, a contentious movement and concept, has been taken up in various ways by different groups. Some scholars believe it holds power to liberate individuals from patriarchal, neoliberal, capitalist, and colonial ideologies of what constitutes a "good" body. On the contrary, critics assert this movement has been gentrified by white-centered politics. Intersectionality has a similar genealogy as body positivity, with a rich history in Black feminist thought but now considered by many as coopted and whitened. In this article, we trace the rich and divergent legacies of both movements and explore at the structural level how body positivity is represented within physical cultures on Instagram. We use a social-justice oriented intersectionality framework exploring #BodyPositivity and #BodyPositive across a total of 141 posts using reflexive thematic analysis. We organize our findings into four themes: 1) Disclosure-Privilege of Body-Related Journeys; 2) The Absent-Present; 3) Consuming Positivity; and 4) Disrupting Normative Body Positivity Posts. Overall, we found that only certain bodies (and transformations) were visible within the data: those of (now) lean, white, cis-gendered individuals, many of whom were engaged in bodybuilding, and who were sharing their bodily transformation. We observe a remarkable absence of BIPOC, 2S LGBTQAI+, fat/thick/thicc/curvy, older, gender-nonconforming, and/or disabled representations. We also note the myriad ways that body positivity has been commodified and packaged into a product or service for consumption. Lastly, we outline and celebrate the exceptions to this norm where a minority of posts align more closely with the original intentions of the body positivity movement. We conclude with our position on how to do intersectionality research, and call on researchers to honor Black feminist origins and rich social justice history in these movements.

Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words? Using Photo-Elicitation to Study Body Image in Middle-to-Older Age Women With and Without Multiple Sclerosis.

In this study, we explored how women with varying relationships to disability and aging used photographs to represent their body image experiences. Seven middle-aged and older adult women with and without multiple sclerosis were asked to provide up to 10 photographs that represented their body image and complete a one-on-one interview. We used reflexive thematic analysis to develop themes and interpret the findings. Overall, the women expressed not only complicated relationships with their bodies, represented through symbolism, scrutiny of body features (e.g., posture, varicose veins, and arthritis) but also deep reflection linked to positive body image and resilience. These findings revealed not only the nuanced experiences women have with aging, disability, and gender but also the commonly experienced ingrained views of body appearance as each participant illustrated a difficult negotiation with the aesthetic dimension of their body image. Finally, we provide important implications of the use of visual methods in body image research.

What a body can do: Rethinking body functionality through a feminist materialist disability lens.

A burgeoning body of literature shows a positive relationship between body functionality and positive body image. Although still nascent, research centring experiences of people with disabilities and bodily differences develops this literature. In this article, we offer directions for this research, bringing body functionality into dialogue with feminist materialist disability theory to examine relations between people's bodily perceptions and the socio-material worlds they occupy. Feminist disability theory re-imagines difference through an affirmative lens, conceptualising body image as relational and processual, and approaching difference through four orientations: difference is basic to the world; difference is not deficiency; difference is not the problem, our inhospitable and ableist world is; and centring difference exposes the mythical norm. We apply this lens to body functionality research, and outline implications for research, practice, and theory, arguing that building a bridge between these frameworks offers a stepping off point for exciting directions for body image research.

Exploring primary care providers' understandings of body image in patient care.

Research has shown that healthcare providers lack confidence in having the knowledge needed to have conversations about body image with their patients. No research to date has explicitly explored how providers in primary healthcare understand body image, including its definition and how it impacts plans for care. Accordingly, the current study explored how primary healthcare providers define body image and how they see the concept of body image manifest in their practice. A total of 21 participants were interviewed, including 3 registered dietitians, 6 occupational therapists, 4 physiotherapists, 1 registered massage therapist, 1 kinesiologist, 4 family physicians, 1 nurse, and 1 social worker. Using thematic analysis, it was found that gaps in knowledge about body image were quite apparent as participants' understanding of body image was slippery (e.g., they struggled to articulate specifics about the concept within care and recognized body image is not something associated with a clinical guideline that would bring form to the concept). However, healthcare providers believed in the importance of body image in their patients' care in broad and far reaching ways. Future directions for bridging the knowledge gap with respect to body image among primary healthcare providers are discussed.

Barriers and facilitators to adhering to an anti-inflammatory diet for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

The purpose of this study was to explore the barriers and facilitators of an anti-inflammatory diet in people with spinal cord injury. Six participants (age range of 23-68 years, three women and three men) who had previously completed an anti-inflammatory diet study were interviewed. Facilitators identified were family support, autonomy over meal choice, peer support, health benefits gained, and implementation of adherence strategies. The main barriers discussed were lack of motivation after study period ended, social events, diet expenses, and lack of knowledge about the diet. Several health benefits including reductions in pain, edema, and improvements in cognition and mobility were reported.

How do you define body image? Exploring conceptual gaps in understandings of body image at an exercise facility.

The definition of body image has evolved within research; however, less is known about the layperson's understanding of the construct. This study explored how members and student trainees of an exercise facility (designed for older adults, people with physical disability, and those with cardiac complications) defined body image. Nineteen participants completed a one-on-one interview, and seven of those participants took part in six additional focus group meetings. The following main themes were found: stereotypical assumptions about body image (e.g., it is solely a person's weight or merely a woman's issue), body image continua for positive and negative body image, degree of complexity of body image dimensions, broad considerations of body image (e.g., it is self-esteem), and limited knowledge about body image. These findings suggest a need for knowledge translation between researchers and the general public which informs future body image program design.

"My body was my temple": a narrative revealing body image experiences following treatment of a spinal cord injury.

PURPOSE: This narrative explores the lived experience of a young woman, Rebecca, and her transitioned body image after sustaining and being treated for a spinal cord injury. METHOD: Data were collected from a single semi-structured in-depth interview. RESULTS: Rebecca disclosed her transitioned body image experiences after sustaining a spinal cord injury and being treated by medical staff immediately following her injury. Before her injury, she described a holistic body experience and named this experience her "temple". During intensive care in the hospital, she explained her body was treated as an object. The disconnected treatment of her body led to a loss of the private self, as she described her sacred body being stripped away - her "temple" lost and in ruins. CONCLUSIONS: Body image may be an overlooked component of health following a spinal cord injury. This narrative emphasizes the importance of unveiling body image experiences after the treatment of a spinal cord injury to medical professionals. Lessons of the importance of considering the transitioned body experiences after a spinal cord injury may help prevent body-related depression and other subsequent health impacts. Recommendations for best practice are provided. Implications for Rehabilitation Spinal Cord Injury • A spinal cord injury may drastically change a person's body image, thereby significantly impacting psychological health • More effective screening for body image within the medical/rehabilitation context is needed to help practitioners recognize distress • Practitioners should be prepared to refer clients to distress hotlines they may need once released from treatment.

Self-Objectification and the Use of Body Image Coping Strategies: The Role of Shame in Highly Physically Active Women.

We investigated the mediating role of body shame in the relationship between self-objectification and body image coping strategies in highly physically active university women. Bivariate correlations revealed body shame was positively related to self-objectification, appearance fixing, and avoidance coping but unrelated to positive rational acceptance. In addition, self-objectification was positively related to appearance fixing and avoidance coping but unrelated to positive rational acceptance. Mediation analyses showed that body shame partially mediated the relationship between self-objectification and avoidance and appearance fixing coping but did not mediate the relationship between self-objectification and positive rational acceptance. Future research should examine other potential mediators or moderators in this relationship and explore the role of positive body image framed within self-objectification theory.

Exploring the complexities of body image experiences in middle age and older adult women within an exercise context: The simultaneous existence of negative and positive body images.

Despite many body changes that accompany the aging process, the extant research is limited on middle age and older adults' body image experiences. The purpose of the present study was to explore how body image is represented for middle age and older adult women. Using thematic analysis, 10 women over the age of 55 were interviewed within an exercise context. The following themes were found: body dissatisfaction, body satisfaction despite ageist stereotypes, neutral body image within cohort, and positive body image characteristics. Negative and positive body images were experienced simultaneously, with neutral experiences expressed as low levels of dissatisfaction. This supports the contention that negative and positive body images exist on separate continuums and neutral body image is likely on the same continuum as negative body image. Programs that foster a social support network to reduce negative body image and improve positive body image in older female populations are needed.

Managing the stigma: Exploring body image experiences and self-presentation among people with spinal cord injury.

Using modified constructivist grounded theory, the purpose of this study was to explore body image experiences in people with spinal cord injury. Nine participants (five women, four men) varying in age (21-63 years), type of injury (C3-T7; complete and incomplete), and years post-injury (4-36 years) took part in semi-structured in-depth interviews. The following main categories were found: appearance, weight concerns, negative functional features, impact of others, body disconnection, hygiene and incontinence, and self-presentation. Findings have implications for the health and well-being of those living with a spinal cord injury.

"It's all about acceptance": A qualitative study exploring a model of positive body image for people with spinal cord injury.

Using modified constructivist grounded theory, the purpose of the present study was to explore positive body image experiences in people with spinal cord injury. Nine participants (five women, four men) varying in age (21-63 years), type of injury (C3-T7; complete and incomplete), and years post-injury (4-36 years) were recruited. The following main categories were found: body acceptance, body appreciation and gratitude, social support, functional gains, independence, media literacy, broadly conceptualizing beauty, inner positivity influencing outer demeanour, finding others who have a positive body image, unconditional acceptance from others, religion/spirituality, listening to and taking care of the body, managing secondary complications, minimizing pain, and respect. Interestingly, there was consistency in positive body image characteristics reported in this study with those found in previous research, demonstrating universality of positive body image. However, unique characteristics (e.g., resilience, functional gains, independence) were also reported demonstrating the importance of exploring positive body image in diverse groups.