Loving Every Curve: Body Positivity for All Sizes

At Undone Kin, we believe self-love isn’t a luxury, it’s essential. And at the heart of self-love is body positivity: embracing your body as it is, in all its beauty, strength, and uniqueness. This isn’t just about how we look in the mirror; it’s about how we feel in our skin, in our relationships, and in our most intimate moments.

Why Body Positivity Matters in Wellness & Intimacy

Body dissatisfaction is one of the strongest predictors of low self-esteem and can directly impact how we connect with others. Research shows that negative body image is linked with higher anxiety, depression, and even reduced sexual satisfaction (Rodgers et al., 2020).

But there’s good news: science also shows that even small shifts toward inclusive, body-positive messaging can make a real difference.

In fact, a 2023 study found that exposure to body-positive social media content , especially content featuring bodies of different sizes, colors, and abilities, helped reduce body comparisons and increased body appreciation (Fardouly et al., 2023).

“Following social media pages celebrating different body sizes, shapes, colours and abilities … helped improve young women’s body image and reduce body comparisons.” (Fardouly et al., UNSW study)

This means the images and words we surround ourselves with, from Instagram feeds to brand messaging, shape how we feel about our bodies.

Body Positivity in the Bedroom

How we feel about our bodies doesn’t stay in front of the mirror, it follows us into intimacy. Research suggests that people with greater body appreciation report higher sexual satisfaction, more openness to pleasure, and stronger connection with partners (Tylka & Wood-Barcalow, 2015).

On the other hand, body shame can hold us back from exploring our desires, asking for what we need, or even allowing ourselves to relax during intimate moments.

That’s why body positivity isn’t just a mental health topic, it’s a sexual wellness one. By embracing our bodies, we give ourselves permission to fully embrace pleasure, too.

Moving Beyond “Perfect”

Body positivity must include all bodies, not just those that still fit closer to cultural ideals. A 2021 study found that body-positive posts featuring only “average” sized models had stronger mood benefits than those with larger models, which reveals a challenge: not all body positivity is truly inclusive (Alleva et al., 2021).

This reminds us that real inclusivity means actively celebrating diverse bodies, not tokenizing them, not editing them, but showing them as they are.

At Undone Kin, we want to see curves, rolls, scars, stretch marks, muscles, softness, all of it. These aren’t flaws. They’re part of the story of our bodies.

Body Neutrality: A Gentle Alternative

Some days, positivity feels out of reach. That’s where body neutrality comes in. Instead of focusing on appearance, body neutrality encourages us to appreciate our bodies for what they allow us to do - to hug a friend, to dance, to feel the water in the shower, to experience touch and pleasure.

Both body positivity and neutrality can be tools in building healthier, more compassionate relationships with ourselves.

How to Practice Body Positivity in Daily Life

Here are a few research-backed practices you can try:

• Curate your feed - Follow accounts that celebrate diverse bodies. Even 10 minutes of exposure can reduce comparison (Fardouly et al., 2023).
•  Reframe compliments - Shift from “you look great” to “I love your energy” or “you’re glowing.”
• Self-compassion rituals - Write a love note to your body or simply thank it for something it allowed you to do today.
• Pleasure as affirmation - Engage in touch, intimacy, or self-play as a celebration of what your body can feel, not how it looks.
• Movement for joy - Find ways to move that feel good: dancing, walking, stretching, not as punishment, but as expression.

The Undone Kin Promise

Our philosophy is simple: pleasure belongs to every body. Whether you’re indulging in a bath ritual, exploring a new toy, or simply pausing to breathe, your body is worthy of love, care, and celebration - exactly as it is.

Body positivity isn’t about chasing a new standard. It’s about breaking free from old ones.

“True body positivity must expand beyond narrow ideals … so that all bodies are worthy of dignity, care, and respect.” (Rodgers et al., 2022)

And that’s exactly the world we’re working to build at Undone Kin.

 

References

• Rodgers, R. F., Donovan, E., Cousineau, T. et al. (2020). The effectiveness of interventions aiming to promote positive body image: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Body Image.

• Rodgers, R. F., DuBois, R., Chabrol, H. (2022). A systematic review of interventions aiming to promote positive body image. Body Image.

• Fardouly, J., et al. (2023). Small exposure to body positive content can improve body image. UNSW News.

• Alleva, J. M., et al. (2021). Body positivity, but not for everyone: The role of model size in mood and body satisfaction. Body Image.

• Tylka, T. L., & Wood-Barcalow, N. (2015). The Body Appreciation Scale-2: Item refinement and psychometric evaluation. Body Image.