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1-Page Summary of The Body Is Not An Apology

Overview

Media has made it more difficult for people to love their bodies. The media constantly shows us how we should look and what we should be doing with our bodies. We are always being told if our body is too big, too small, not hairy enough or hairless enough, etc.

But this is a bad way of thinking. It’s better to accept and appreciate your body for what it is instead of ignoring its flaws. Taylor offers a new perspective on how to view your body so that together we can work towards reconstructing society, which celebrates our differences instead of shaming them.

This passage is about the author’s insights on body shaming and how it starts.

Big Idea #1: Radical self-love isn’t self-esteem, nor is it self-acceptance.

When you think of self-love, you may associate it with feelings of self-esteem. However, the author is not talking about that kind of love. In fact, she’s referring to a different kind—radical self-love. This type of love is not the same as what we normally consider when we talk about loving ourselves and our bodies.

We can think of radical self-love as an island where high self-esteem thrives. We need to take a boat across the ocean, and rather than stopping at that island, we should be motivated by willpower and ego.

Continuing this analogy, a ship can crash when it has too much confidence. Consider all the arrogant and selfish people around the world who are confident but don’t necessarily love themselves or anyone else.

Donald Trump, the current president of United States, is a very confident man. But his overconfidence and lack of love for ideals could lead to trouble for the country.

Self-love is more than just acceptance. Think of times you accepted something, and ask yourself if those were enjoyable or inspiring moments. Most likely not.

Taylor remembers a time when her mother would put frozen pot pies in the oven for dinner. Taylor thought that it was okay, but she didn’t find it particularly amazing or inspiring.

We can do a lot better than self-acceptance. In this passage, the author will explain how to be more accepting of ourselves and others in order to love ourselves more radically.

Big Idea #2: Radical love is about accepting and celebrating your own body as well as different bodies.

To work your way toward radical love, you need to start by loving yourself. Loving yourself starts with acknowledging that the negative thoughts you have about yourself aren’t truly yours. Did you worry about gaining weight when you were young?

Judgments are harmful to us. They’re usually made by others, and we try to live up to them instead of our own truths.

Furthermore, loving your body benefits not only you but others around you. By celebrating your body, you can set an example for your children and friends to love their bodies too.

While self-love is more than just acceptance, it’s important to start by accepting yourself. You can do that by appreciating all body types and not judging people based on their appearance. One way you can achieve this is through the movie The Danger of Poodle Science, which satirizes the idea that a dog’s health depends on how much they look like a poodle. It highlights our tendency to see happiness, health, and beauty as one-size-fits-all rather than unique qualities for each individual person.

The word “health” is often used to criticize people’s bodies. For example, a body shamer may say that they’re worried about their friend’s health, but this isn’t true. A person with an illness or disability doesn’t owe it to anyone else to change themselves for the benefit of others.