Diet Culture to Body Joy – Minnesota Women’s Press

Content warning: discussion of diet culture, body size, dieting, and disordered eating.

I have a vivid memory of being twelve years old, getting ready for bed. I put on my bright pink pajamas and noticed, for the very first time, the beginnings of an hourglass figure.

I immediately ran upstairs to show my mom. “Look, Mom, look! I have hips! Look at me!” The discovery of those hips was so exciting, that little bit of adulthood that I could finally claim for myself. It is one of the most joyful memories I have of my body.

Most of my memories of my body are not joyful. Nearly all of them are overshadowed by “diet culture,” which is rooted in the idea that controlling your body by controlling what you eat is normal. Diet culture emphasizes appearance over emotional and physical well-being, and it permeates every aspect of our lives.

Diet culture entered my life when I was in kindergarten. I do not remember why, but at six years old, I felt ashamed that I was taller and heavier than my twin brother.

Diet culture continued to impact me as I grew older. One of my childhood friends repeatedly talked about Weight Watchers, which her parents participated in. Another friend encouraged me to exercise with her so that we could lose our “baby fat.” Family members praised me for being thin. These comments warped in my mind, turning from “I am thin” to “Thin is good” to “If I am not thin, I am…