New Delhi: Body positivity is becoming a strong movement in the present day that motivates people to love and appreciate their bodies in all of their variations. The idea of body positivity encourages self-love, acceptance, and admiration for oneself as they are in a world that frequently upholds unattainable beauty standards and develops a negative body image.
A lot of celebrities and influencers promote body positivity today and spread the message of loving one's body in whatever shape or size it is. Diksha Singhi is also one such influencer who embraces her body the way it is and spreads the message that others should do it too. Her Instagram handle by the name- 'Always A Little Extra' is all about loving one's body, wearing all the clothes that one wants and breaking all stereotypes.
In a candid conversation with ABP Live, Diksha Singhi, shared what body positivity meant to her, saying, "Body positivity for me is the understanding that your body’s role is a lot more than to look like somebody else’s definition of beauty. For me, it’s realising what my true potential is in what my body does for me vs. what it looks like, and that health doesn’t see a body type."
Diksha is someone who does not shun away from showing her flabs and shared her journey towards embracing body positivity and becoming an influencer.
She said, "Becoming an influencer was never part of the deal. It was just me sharing my real-time experiences, my story, and my life. And the more honest I got, the more people reached out and felt my content was relatable. It was nearly after I got 20K followers that I approached my page as a creator."
Talking about her inspiration to start advocating for body positivity and promoting self-love and acceptance, Diksha shared, "As a child, I have been body-shamed left, right and centre. I was 11, the first time I started staying hungry to lose weight. I have done it all- spent too much time working out, eating too little, eating too much, Keto, herbal drinks, and calorie counting and also keeping that one dress in the wardrobe while waiting to become three sizes smaller to fit into it. But all I was trying to fit into was society’s standards of beauty and health. After a point, I could only hate myself more or stop all the hate and come to accept that all bodies are beautiful."
Additionally, she also talked about how she deals with backlash or negative comments on her videos, her inspirations in the body-positive space and more.
Here are some excerpts from the interview:
While growing up, did you have a complex about your weight?
I pretended to be a tomboy for so long because looking like a tomboy was much better than being a fat girl who was constantly bullied for how she looked. As a child If something disturbs you, and if you do somebody about it as an adult, it does give you innate satisfaction.
Do you get negative comments or backlash for your videos? How do you handle them?
My content exists only because there are people who throw shame on people with bigger bodies. So, if it’s a comment like that comes from a fake account, I let it go. If it’s somebody real, I first try and have a conversation. If it doesn’t sit well, I make a reel out of the negative comment. My biggest source of inspiration for my content is my online haters and a lot of relatives!
What strategies do you employ to maintain your own self-confidence and continue spreading your message?
Looking into the mirror even on bad body image days and telling myself it’s okay to look like what you look like. You are still a powerhouse. I don’t shy away from looking at myself naked.
How do you see the future of the body positivity movement?
Body positivity movement is not just a trend but it’s something that impacts more lives than we would like to admit. It's not just about fashion, it's also about health care, equal opportunities at work and letting every woman feel comfortable in their body as it is.
In your opinion, what size-inclusive fashion is and what are the best brands for plus-size fashionable clothing?
While I acknowledge that a lot of brands are now trying to bring larger sizes, it is still sad to see that they treat their straight-size and plus-size customers differently. It could be in the form of different collections, pricing, different sections of the store or the website which at a conscious/subconscious level makes people feel more exclusive than inclusive. However, some of my favourite brands to shop from are mostly homegrown labels as they are the ones taking the effort to make people feel inclusive.
Who are some of your inspirations in the body positivity space, and why?
My favourite creator is Meg Boggs. She is a powerlifter, an athlete, and a mom of two and the way she talks about fitness and body confidence has helped me find more confidence in my body.
In your reels, we have seen that you don't shy away from showing your flabs. So, how much time has it taken to achieve this confidence and how do you motivate your audience who shy away from showing their flabs?
It has taken me enormously a whole lot of time and I am still learning each day. I have seen my mom, sister and best friend with flabs; these are some of the most beautiful women in my life. If I don’t find anything wrong with their body then why should it be the reason to hate my body?
TIPS TO DEAL WITH SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMBRACE SELF-LOVE:
Diksha also shared some tips for individuals who are struggling with body image issues and finding it difficult to embrace self-love.
She said, "Talk to yourself. Look at your body. Engage in self-pleasure. Engage in a physical activity that you love. Trust your body and its capabilities and work on yourself. If you want to wear a crop top, but don’t find the comfort in wearing it outside of your house, wear it in your room. Take baby steps."
Speaking about the role social media plays in shaping body image perceptions and how can individuals navigate it in a healthy way, Diksha added that social media can affect body image issues both positively and negatively and for someone who is dealing with body image issues here is how they can navigate it healthily.
- Unfollowing accounts that constantly make them feel inferior or talk about calorie count, diets and consider aesthetics over health or something that might trigger the person.
- Unfollowing brands that do not promote inclusivity / tap into people’s insecurities to sell a product or a service.
- Following body-positive creators that make them feel that their body is enough.
- Use Instagram tools like report, block and restrict to create a safe space for themselves.
- Following health-related pages, that talk about health in a holistic way vs simply losing weight.
- Participating in conversations around body image issues can not only give them the confidence to stand up for themselves but also educate others.