- Hey guys? Cassey here. Today I wanna chat with you about two words that started a revolution. Body positivity, ever heard of it? Of course you have. I think we all have by now, since it's a full on mainstream buzzword used by models, actresses, Instagrammers, bloggers and our favorite corporate America. But what does it mean? What are its roots and where did it come from? The reason why I'm making this video is because the term body positivity is being tossed around with no respect to its origins. I've noticed that the definition has evolved over time. As the movement has gotten bigger and bigger. And in my own personal experience, it's been frustrating to have my name and face conveniently thrown in and out of this movement by whoever wanted to make their point. Let's step back in time for just a second. When I posted this video of me, Photoshopping myself to reflect the mean comments I was getting about how I was too fat to be a trainer four years ago in 2015. It was really to help me fight back against the cyber bullies and to help me heal from all the negativity I was getting about my body. But incredibly it ended up going viral, racking up nearly 14 million views. It was really cool to see how many women and girls related to the pressure I felt to have the perfect body. National publications and TV shows like Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, Adweek, People Magazine and Us Weekly began picking it up. And my name became synonymous with body positivity. The crazy thing was back in 2014 and 2015 body positivity was something completely new to me. I wasn't trying to be body positive. I was just trying to be me. Teaching Pilates without a six pack. And somehow my undefined abs solidified my role as a body positive role model. Now let's step back just two and a half months ago on August 16th, 2019. I announced that I would embark on a 90 day journey to get in the best shape of my life mentally and physically. This meant doing more workouts that made me happy, like dancing. This meant cooking for myself more because making food brings me joy. This meant blogging every day. To practice not letting other people's opinion of me sensor my true authentic self. As it had over the past several years of being an online public figure. So what was the problem? Well, I announced some numerical goals for my weight and my body fat and just like that. It was like the entire world burst into flames. All of a sudden I was called antibody positive, too skinny to lose weight, a promoter of eating disorders and embarrassment to women. A disappointment to my fans, a traitor to my own brand, psychologically unstable. And best of all I was formally diagnosed in the YouTube comments by a number of people who seem to know that I was mentally ill and needed to seek professional. Then of the media got involved as they always do. And all of a sudden there were a bunch of articles being written about how my 90 day journey was controversial. Seeing people tell me that I'm not being body positive and that I'm misusing the term itself. Makes me feel really confused. And to be honest with you, I have never actually looked up the origin of the word until just a few months ago. I thought that if I was loving my body, then I was being positive with my body. But it seems to be a lot more complicated than that. But you know what, if I'm wrong. I can accept that, but I'd love to know why. So that's why I'm making this video. First off where did body positivity come from? The New York Times says that it's worth noting that body positivity is the convergence of a few movements. The fat acceptance movement was pioneered in the 1960s by black and queer women to fight discrimination in public spaces. The workplace and doctor's offices. Fat positivity, which is more of a reaction to fat shaming and body positivity, which is more of a commercial self-esteem movement came later. Okay, there's a lot going on there. So I decided to look into fat acceptance first. According to NAAFA the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance founded in 1969. Their mission is to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy and support. From what I read fat people are less likely to be hired for a job. When compared to theirs thinner peers. I kept Googling further and I found a Time Magazine article talking about the first fat activists. In 1967, 500 people staged their own event in central park and called it a Fat-in. And ate ice cream while burning posters of Twiggy and Sophia Loren. So then body positivity. When was that born? The body positive was first created in 1996 by Connie Sobczack and Elizabeth Scott and trademarked by Debora Burgard in 1997. - So I am Connie Sobzack and I'm the co founder and executive director of the body positive. - I reached out to the body positive a month ago, thinking that they probably wouldn't answer my interview request. But to my surprise, I was connected to the CEO and executive director, Connie herself. Connie first of all, thank you so much for spending time with me. You are the mother of body positivity. - In our work as the body positive. What we talk about is that we are coming together to create a space where we're trying not to compare. We're letting go of judgment. We're really saying, who am I? What is my own story? And how do I relate to my own body? When I was a teenager and preteen, I had severe body shame and body hatred. And ended up getting an eating disorder. I had bulimia starting around the age of 15. The other piece of that was my sister Stephanie. Got a lot of shame at home from my dad around the dinner table. Especially about what she was eating and she should be losing weight. And the thing that happened with my sister is that she got breast implants when she was 21. She had an eating disorder because of all the stuff that happened. She also became bulimic. And so she got breast implants. One of them hardened. Two doctors took their forehands and crushed the implant. Silicone leaked through her body. And she developed lupus and auto immune disease and died at the age of 36. At that moment I had this baby girl who was a year old. So in love with her body, my sister was dead. I hadn't healed myself, but I thought how do you raise a girl child, especially in this culture. But how do you raise any child in this culture to love themselves? And that was the impetus for starting the body positive. I wanted to change the world. - With articles like Back Off Thin People here's why body positivity wasn't made for you published on everyday feminist.com. I honestly was confused on whether or not I should even be calling myself body positive. So one of the most important things I wanted to do when preparing for this video was to make sure I could talk to someone who was super active in the body positive community. Like someone who proudly calls herself fat and owns it. I wanted to meet someone who has lived a different life than mine in a different body than mine. So that I could understand a different perspective than my own. One of the first people I reached out to was an incredible artist who draws comics about body positivity. When I asked to interview her for this video, she denied my request. She said, "It's very important to me to be specifically fat positive. Because all of the work in body positivity that straight sized people benefit from was started by fat people. And I'm not certain if that aligns with the sort of video you would wanna make." As I continued researching, who would be best to interview, I came across an article about plus size blogger, Simone Mariposa. - My name is Simone Michelle Mariposa. I am a blogger influencer actor and inspirer. - Who started a viral body positive hashtag. - So wewearwhatwewant started when I saw a story on my timeline on Twitter. About a young girl who was out, she was wearing something. She was showing her skin and a lady made some really mean comments towards her. And basically made her feel like what she was wearing wasn't good for her body type. And I know a lot of plus size women, women in general have experienced that. So I figured why not make a hashtag out of it and create a movement so that people know that they're not alone. And that they can make daring, bold, sexy fashion choices. Without it seeming like it's a problem because of your body type. - It was so exciting to meet Simone. She was vibrant, so informed and super nice. I also ended up having a really mind blowing DM conversation with plus size model Lexi Placourakis after I was scouting potential models for a PopLock photo shoot. - My mom has always been very photogenic, she modeled when she was young. So she's always had us taking pictures. And this particular shoot that she was doing of me the photographer was like Hey, you know, these agencies looking for plus models, which at the time I never even knew was a thing. - The reason why I wanted to interview Lexie was one, because she was so lovely to talk to. And two, because she told me something that I strongly feel needs to be exposed. About the messed up double standards in the modeling industry. - The client had actually asked if I would gain weight for the job. I'd have had to wear I bodysuits with padding they sell it on Amazon. And I was wearing padding under my clothes for the shoots. - I was shocked like, Whoa, hold on. If a company is trying to be onboard with body positivity, aren't they supposed to be working with models who represent women of all shapes and sizes. - This is crazy. Not only is it kind of false advertising but its just upsetting because you're like that's not what I am. - Putting a model in a fat suit to make her look bigger. Is the same thing as putting a model in a corset to make her look skinnier, they are both illusions. They both aren't real. - I've had hips added on me in Photoshop. And I look at it and I'm like what? So there's a lot of pictures of clients that I work with and they smooth me out and they lift my butt. And I wont use them because I don't like that. I don't appreciate morphing my body. - I never thought in a million years that gorgeous plus size models would be forced to wear padding, to make them look bigger. But Simone knew exactly what I was talking about. - It's crazy to me because there are so many models who could do it. Again like you said, it's about if she has the face that they need, but not the body. So they'll do what it takes to like fill the body in. - A model by the name of Molly Tellekson told the New York Post that to keep her career afloat. She uses padding to fill out plus size samples. She said that padding is a trade secret in the plus modeling world and pretty standard when it comes to achieving that ideal hourglass figure. My neck and collarbones are the size that I am. And below that it's pretty much a fat suit. That's an unrealistic standard of beauty for girls who wanna buy these clothes. If I was a size 16 woman looking to buy that dress, I think why isn't my neck that thin? Then it made me wonder what do the most popular plus sized models look like? And are these companies just trying to achieve that look without paying the day rates for the biggest names? When I Googled the top plus size models in the industry names like Ashley Graham, Iskra Lawrence. I personally know her by the way. She's awesome. Robyn Lawley, Barbie Ferreira, Tara Lynn, Candice huffing, Denise Bidot and Tess Holliday kept coming up. Immediately I noticed similarities. All of these models were white. Hourglass shaped had skinny faces, thin necks and high cheekbones. Chelsea Bonner, a former model and founder of Bella management, which reps Robyn Lawley, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue's first curved model. Told the New York post that plus size modeling is a new industry plagued by double standards. She says "You're allowed to be curvy as long as you have a really tiny waist and no cellulite. Plus models with the most work are between the sizes of 14 and 16. And if you're not small enough to be a runway size zero, then you're considered an "In-Betweeny." - I'm five 11, I'm 12-14, So I'm kind of in between the in-betweeners. That we've talked about. Most of my clients personally are swim and lingerie. So because of my body type that's what I get booked. - Now we can't talk about models without talking about the people hiring them. Body positivity is no longer a social and political movement. It's a money making machine. Underwear brand Aerie reported a record high 38% increase in same store sales for the first quarter of 2018. How? They ditched Photoshop images leaned into female empowerment and started hiring models who resonated with their consumers. As well as models with disabilities. Meanwhile, rival lingerie brand Victoria's Secret is struggling. Their racy ads and the lack of body representation is costing the brand big money. While Aerie expands its physical and digital footprints. Victoria's secret announced plans to close 20 stores in 2018 in response to poor sales. The downfall began in 2015 and resulted in a 72% share drop over three years. But seems like Victoria's secret finally got the memo. Just last week VS announced their first ever plus size angel Ali Tate Cutler a model and influencer is the woman who landed the historic gig. But there is a catch. The line that Ali would be modeling for only goes up to 36 double D for bras and teddies. And extra large for panties and loungewear. Way to embrace body positivity without actually meeting it Victoria Secrets. - Anytime corporate America gets involved in terms of a look and a brand. Then we're missing the point. Because the whole point is that body positivity is as big as every individual that's part of it. So it's made up of every single individual. - Now this brings me to the debate on body positivity and weight loss. Right when I announced my 90 day journey. I chose to be very transparent about my measurements, my body fat percentage goal and my weight loss goal. People went berserk. It was as if I had announced that I'd be starving myself for 90 days while cutting off my arm to achieve my weight loss goal. These comments were some of the most negative comments I have ever seen. I was called a liar, a traitor, an embarrassment, a disappointment, a mentally ill person. And someone who hated herself and wanted to encourage others to hate themselves as well. All by my own fans you guys. People who I thought loved me for me. People unsubscribed and unfollowed me. And even though I said that this journey was gonna be for me and that I shouldn't care what people thought. There were so many times when I questioned whether or not I had just committed brand's suicide. But it turns out I'm not the only one who has experienced this. Khrystyana, a well known curved model from Siberia who was a finalist on America's Next Top Model cycle 24. Told Paper Magazine that she knows firsthand how followers can turn. "Any time I look thicker, I get the most amazing support, especially on Instagram. The second I look like a traditional size model. I get less love. I lose followers. I get called out for not being fat enough or not being body positive anymore." Someone who I know who is currently going through this is Publix power girl and Instagrammer Nourished Natasha. A yoga teacher and body acceptance activist. Natasha and I had briefly chatted back in August. When I had announced my 90 day journey. She sent me words of support as the negativity was being thrown at me. And said that she wanted to go on a journey herself, but was afraid of what her followers would say. Especially after seeing everything that I was going through. Well, just this week, Natasha posted a before and after photo sharing that she had just finished a six week boot camp to feel stronger, to stop binging and to master mindful eating. - What I was trying to do with my transformation was kind of bridge the gap between health and fitness and body positivity by making it about how I felt. - Even though she purposefully didn't share how many pounds or inches she lost. And kept her journey private until she posted her before and after photo. Natasha was also attacked with negativity. - So there was those certain individuals who shamed me for my progress and that's not okay. If you are actively shaming someone for their body changing you're not being body positive. - I asked Simone if she ever felt pressured to stay her size and what would happen if she ever lost weight. - I have tried to lose weight. I think every plus size woman, every plus size person has tried to lose weight at one point in their lives. And I don't think that's anything to fault them for. There are some people who feel that different influencers of size losing weight is like being a traitor. And I find that extremely frustrating because everyone's relationship with their body is different. It doesn't make you any more or less confident on body positive if you wanted to lose weight. Granted, who knows what my future looks like if I do choose to lose weight or not. But I know that in that I'm still going to be body positive. And I'm still going to make sure that plus size women are heard of all sizes. - Lexi had also mentioned to me that when she began to lose weight, the body positive community pushed her out. - You can't win. Its like a double edged sword. So either people are gonna be inspired or they're gonna be mad. I feel like they're mad maybe because they want a reason to accept their lifestyle and feel their lifestyle is okay. And they want that to be justified by another person. When in reality how you wanna live is how you wanna live. If you wanna be a size two and you wanna do that in an unhealthy way. You don't need to look for somebody that's doing that in the public eye to make that okay. And same on the other end of the spectrum. If you wanna be an 18 or a 24 you don't need a plus sized model or actress to make you feel it's okay. If that's what you want then that's what you want. So I feel like sometimes people might get mad because they're looking for that justification from somebody else. - It's crazy how people who claim to be body positive can be so negative. I honestly thought body positivity was about celebrating what your body can do. And that includes exercise. That includes getting stronger. And yes, sometimes there will be a side effect of weight loss. So does losing weight automatically make you anti-body positive? I decided to ask the mother of body positivity herself. - I get asked this a lot. So can we want to lose weight and be body positive? Yes, of course. Anybody watching this, just think about what you really want in your life and what your purpose is. And if we lost is your purpose in life, more power to you go for it. But I'm not gonna judge you. But I just want you to think about what is that doing for you? How is that helping you? Is it actually making you healthier? Is it sustainable? Is it something you're going up and down and up and down with your weight? Maybe let it go. - Young adult writer, Kelly deVoss, the author of "Fat Girl On A Plane" wrote an opinion piece for the New York times and said, "I've come to feel that loving yourself and desiring to change yourself are two sentiments that should be able to peacefully coexist." However, not everyone believes that. Writer Kaila Prins of everyday feminist.com said "Having a goal for intentional fat loss is not body positive period. Fat loss goals are about intentionally changing your body weight and body positivity is not about intentionally changing your body weight. The two things don't mix." The article went on to explain that if fat loss happens as a result of the actions you take to introduce intuitive and gentle healthy lifestyle changes that it happens. But if you're attempting to use some evidence based approach to reach a premeditated weight size or shape, then you're not being body positive. So let me get this straight. According to Kaila, the fact that I announced that I wanted to reach an athlete level body fat percentage on my 90 day journey makes me automatically not body positive by her definition. And you know what, if that's the general consensus on what body positivity is. I'm okay not calling myself body positive. It's not a term that I'm trying to claim as my own maybe "Journey Positivity" would fit better anyway. But to get a better idea of what the general consensus actually is. I asked my followers across all my social media platforms the same question. I asked, "Do you think it is possible to be body positive while losing weight?" Now let me precursor the data by saying that I think most of the people who would have answered no to this question may have already unsubscribed. Though the number of people who left would not have affected the poll results significantly. In general, 90% of my followers answered, yes, you can be body positive and lose weight. While the other 10% said, no, you cannot be body positive and lose weight. Here's where I think we begin fighting. We all seem to have different definitions and expectations of what body positivity is or isn't. Why? Well, it's actually not defined by any one legitimate dictionary anywhere. The only dictionary that has a definition is urban dictionary. So just for fun, let's see what it says. The top definition for body positivity is accepting your body as it is. And attempting to make everyone else feel comfortable in their own skin as well. The definition was submitted in 2014 and it has 105 up votes and 97 down votes. So I'd have to conclude that currently there is no official agreed upon dictionary definition of what body positivity is. So what do we do so we can stop fighting about body positivity. I think we have to define it for ourselves. - My definition of body positivity is accepting your body at any size, accepting other people's bodies at any size. - It's choosing to do what you want with your own body. - Be positive about how everyone looks and how everyone is and not judging people. Just spreading positive vibes. - You don't let your body or how you feel about your body holds you back. - I'm about inspiring people to love themselves, the way they are in any and every condition. - Attitude ,emotions ,positive energy goes along way. - Everyone deserves to love their body. Everyone deserves to have body acceptance. - And then also knowing that I'm talented, I'm beautiful. And I'm amazing just the way I am. And whether I gain weight or lose weight, that's never gonna change. - And what does the mother of body positivity have to say. - Body positivity is about just connecting, being embodied, living in my body. And allowing myself to be a human being with all of the struggles, the suffering, the pain. But then also the joy and the pleasure and just the connectedness with other human beings. - To me, body positivity means loving your body for what it can do today. And for what it has the potential to do in the future. Body positivity does not mean accepting where you are now in staying there forever. It means evolving your body. As you evolve as a person. Change does not mean you hate yourself. It means you love yourself enough to put effort into growing. And guess what? Growth looks different on every person. It doesn't matter if they are fat or skinny or whatever. If a person wants to grow and embark on their own journey in a healthy way, let them. Let them define their own markers for happiness and success. You are not here to judge someone else's journey. If you want to help someone feel more positive about their body. Then you won't make mean comments on the sidelines. You'll either join the journey or cheer them on. You guys I hope you learned something today. I'd love to know what your definition of body positivity is. Please leave it in the comments. Love you guys. I'll see you later. (upbeat music)