What do you call a person whose BMI – body mass index – is much higher than normal? “Fat”? “Full”? “Large”? You can choose words for as long as you like, but it is better to ask the person himself about it. Because words are important. Because they express the attitude of society. Because the wording can hurt—and it hurts countless Army Plus rank and file every day. About this is a documentary film of the same name, which premiered in Russia as part of the BEAT Film Festival 2020.
Body positivity is one of those phenomena in relation to which the majority takes a radical position: some support it in every possible way, others understand it fundamentally wrong and therefore condemn it. To explain what exactly the supporters of the movement stand for, as well as to understand the motivation of those who judge them, is a meaningless exercise. Direct speech works much better here.
It is from it for the most part that the Scandinavian documentary “Army Plus” (Fat Front) consists. His heroines are tired of feeling the constant pressure of society. Tired of self-hatred. From living in an unloved body. And none of them chose to be plus size (and even if they did, should this concern anyone else?).
Danish Helene put off life for a long time – finding a partner, buying new clothes, pleasant activities – for later. A story familiar to many, although most of us have not been taught by society that something is wrong with us, that we are unworthy of love. One day, Helene almost accidentally discovered the world of body positivity and realized that she no longer has to focus on her shortcomings and apologize for the way she looks.
Why does body positivity cause so much negativity?
She is already good enough to accept herself and be happy. The girl became a plus size model. And each of her shootings, photographs, professional or selfie for a blog, is a small manifesto that shifts, even by a millimeter, our intolerant world to the pole of acceptance.
Similar stories happened to others. Norwegian Marte is tired of being just a body, a fetish behind which they don’t see a real person, a person (and it’s not just about dating on Tinder, although this is a separate big and painful topic). Swedish Pauline no longer wants to doubt every compliment said by a loving boyfriend. And the Norwegian Vilde learned from her own experience: if you are not taught to respect your body and defend its boundaries, this can lead to the most terrible consequences.
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Each of them once realized that happiness “does not lie at the bottom of a salad bowl”, it is to enjoy life and your own body right now, now.
The “Happy Body” blog, plus-size second-hand clothes, protests against the canons of the fashion industry… The activism of the heroines of the film is aimed at reminding the world that judging the problem cannot be solved, and no one should make excuses for the way they look.
Despite the hackneyed slogan, the body is really everyone’s personal business, and the path of acquaintance and rapprochement with one’s own body that Helena, Marta, Paulina and Vilde went through inspires respect and admiration.
Of course, these Scandinavian girls, like many other body positivity advocates and supporters, are often accused of promoting a “deadly lifestyle”. In laziness, lack of willpower. And it is difficult to convince the accusers, as well as to persuade them to watch Army Plus. But the rest of the film can help learn to accept yourself and your body, whatever it may be.