The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love

by Sonya Renee Taylor

This in-group out-group distinction also meant that those outside our group were seen as a threat to our resources. The modern evolution of in-group out-group bias has been codified into our political, economic, and social systems. It has organized our world into a matrix of oppressive structures. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Ultimately we are wired to recognize difference and maybe even distrust it. However, we were also wired to eat bugs and to poop in a hole in the ground. The point being, we are capable of change.

We may be trying to convey how we don’t judge people based on racial identity, but “color blindness” is an act of erasure. Not only does it make invisible all the experiences a person has had that were shaped by their racial identity or color, it implies that to truly respect another human being we must obscure their areas of difference.

Radical Reflection Avoid meta-shame, which is shame for having so much shame. Take a deep breath of kindness for yourself and your history of body shame/shaming. We can only do what we know. As famed poet Maya Angelou says, “When we know better, we do better.” We can do better by giving ourselves more love.

tbis!!!