Factions, frames, and postfeminism(s) in the Body Positive Movement

Abstract

ABSTRACT How are contemporary post/feminisms like Body Positivity constituted in and through digital media cultures, and what are the consequences for diverse movement participants? This article analyzes tensions within the Body Positive Movement in North America through a discourse analysis of two sets of prominent blog articles from 2014 and 2016. We identify the coexistence of four social movement frames, termed Mainstream Body Positivity, Fat Positivity = Body Positivity, Radical Body Positivity, and Body Neutrality. Key differences between these frames often arise due to intersecting experiences of privilege and oppression within the movement, as well as disagreements between activists about whether the movement should focus on individualized, psychological issues such as body image or structural concerns such as size discrimination. Our findings reveal the coterminous existence and blurring of boundaries of various feminisms within Body Positivity, including forms that align with as well as those that challenge postfeminist sensibilities. This study 1) illustrates how feminist organizing in digital spaces continues to be shaped by unequal power dynamics and 2) deepens our understanding of the complex and multivocal nature of online feminist discourse.