In the process of drafting this piece, a member of a Health At Every Size Facebook group shared her experience with a prominent dietitian on Instagram. This individual, who has positioned herself as an anti-diet dietitian and advocate for body positivity, boasts over 50,000 followers and sells $250 courses aimed at helping individuals abandon dieting.

When this group member commented on the dietitian's frequent posts showcasing "before and after" images and expressing her struggles with celebrating weight loss, she pointed out that such content contributes to the misconception of fat bodies as merely "before" images. This further highlights the visibility of privileged, straight-sized individuals within the body liberation movement.

Her comment was promptly deleted, and she found herself blocked.

In a bid to engage the dietitian privately, she expressed understanding of the challenges inherent in acknowledging privilege. However, she underscored the importance of integrating body positivity as a supportive space for fat individuals. The dietitian's response was hostile, asserting that she was not inflicting harm and that any discomfort experienced by others indicated a need for internal reflection on their part. She claimed to be cultivating a "peaceful space," dismissing critiques of her posts as disruptive.

This account is not an isolated incident but rather a reflection of broader issues.

As Stephanie Yeboah articulated to Jameela Jamil—who subsequently appropriated her words—body positivity has its roots in the fat acceptance movement, which emerged as a political response to the lack of representation and celebration of fat women.

Yeboah’s perspective resonates with others in the community. In an interview for Wear Your Voice magazine, body-positive photographer Rochelle Brock expressed concern that the movement, while gaining traction, often overlooks individuals who do not conform to societal ideals—those who are larger, darker, or otherwise marginalized. She highlighted how the narrative often sidelines those who don’t fit the conventional mold, allowing smaller, hourglass-shaped women to profit at the expense of others.

The body positivity movement has faced criticism for being appropriated by those who do not experience oppression based on their physical appearance. Instances of thin women promoting body acceptance while simultaneously engaging in weight loss marketing illustrate how the movement has been reshaped to fulfill various agendas, often neglecting the very individuals it originally aimed to empower.

Dietetics, which studies the impact of food on health, has historically served as a platform for women, particularly white, middle-class, Protestant women, to gain access to medical training. As the profession evolved, it became increasingly associated with whiteness, often reinforcing racial hierarchies through research that linked health disparities to the diets of racial and ethnic groups.

This legacy of oppression persists, as evidenced by the demographics of registered dietitians today—93.9% of whom are women, with 81.1% identifying as white. White women have historically played a role in perpetuating racism and anti-Black sentiments, as demonstrated by the historical acts of violence and discrimination against marginalized communities.

The commercialization of body positivity has been influenced by white women claiming the title of "anti-diet" practitioners. Notable figures like Christy Harrison describe the anti-diet movement as a counter to the belief that weight loss equates to improved health and emphasize the need to respect and respond to the body’s natural cues.

While these approaches hold merit, they become problematic within the broader context of body positivity, racism, and fatphobia. Harrison herself acknowledges the predatory nature of some who attempt to market the anti-diet philosophy as a means for weight loss, but the real issue lies with those anti-diet dietitians who post images of their own bodies, claiming to promote body positivity while simultaneously reinforcing diet culture.

The frustration arises from the actions of anti-diet dietitians who showcase their skin folds and indulge in foods once deemed “bad,” while telling others that they can love their bodies and still desire to be smaller. The disparity becomes glaring when they present "before and after" transformations, implying that their journey from dieting to self-acceptance is a universal experience, when in reality, it often overlooks the struggles faced by fat individuals.

If you identify as an anti-diet dietitian and engage in these behaviors, take heed: you are perpetuating diet culture.

There is no way to engage in these actions without endorsing fatphobia and the privileges associated with whiteness. By portraying your body’s imperfections as acceptable only because they exist on a thin, white frame, you send a message that fat bodies are inherently inferior and that acceptance is reserved for those who fit conventional standards.

When thin white women invade body liberation spaces while benefiting from their privilege, they not only dilute the message of body positivity but also engage in a form of violence against those who genuinely need these spaces for solace and empowerment.

Many anti-diet dietitians aim to normalize all bodies by sharing their journeys, but their narratives often lack the depth of understanding necessary to challenge systemic issues. The portrayal of thin bodies as needing validation only serves to reinforce existing biases.

Your body, as a thin white person, is not in need of upliftment; it is the norm. The structures of society—clothing, public spaces, and media—are designed with you in mind. Therefore, body positivity is not intended for you.

As Sherronda Brown from Wear Your Voice poignantly noted, body positivity emerged as a response to societal fears surrounding racial differences. Fat acceptance and body positivity challenge the deeply ingrained ideals of health and beauty. When those who embody the very standards being critiqued feel entitled to occupy these spaces, they become agents of destruction rather than allies.

This cycle of oppression continues as those who are marginalized seek refuge, only to find their spaces occupied by those who have always felt safe. The cycle perpetuates the exclusion of voices that need to be heard, all while thin individuals claim the narrative of body positivity for themselves.

This article was inspired by engaging discussions in a Health At Every Size group, initiated by the insightful Molly Robbins, along with a recent Twitter thread I participated in.