The Toxic Side of Body Positivity – When 'Love Yourself' Becomes a Death Sentence

The Toxic Side of Body Positivity – When 'Love Yourself' Becomes a Death Sentence

Let’s get one thing straight: this 'body positivity' is dangerous. You heard me right. Dangerous. And no, I’m not talking about that feel-good, empowering kind of danger. I mean the kind that sneaks up on you while you’re smiling at yourself in the mirror, chanting 'I love my body just the way it is' as you reach for another burger the size of your head.

We’re talking about a culture that has taken body positivity and twisted it into something that encourages people to normalize unhealthy lifestyles. You’re unhealthy? No problem. You can’t walk up a flight of stairs without gasping for air? No worries. 'Love yourself.'

But let’s face it – 'love yourself' has become a get-out-of-health-free card. We’re not promoting self-love anymore. We’re promoting self-sabotage. I should know. I was once that person too.

Back in grade 6, I was fat. Not fluffy, not chubby – FAT. I couldn’t run, couldn’t think straight, couldn’t even breathe properly. My dad? He was brutal. He would say things like, 'You’re so fat, you look like you ate the whole world.' Yeah, it hurt. A lot. But guess what? It was exactly what I needed. Those words that broke me down also built me up – into someone healthier, stronger, and no longer gasping for air after climbing a single staircase.

Now, let’s talk about these so-called 'role models' in the ASMR community – people who made a living out of eating themselves to death, literally. Remember Efecan Kultur? Just 24 years old. Dead after months of breathing difficulties and bruising from his own weight. Or that unnamed Chinese mukbang star who devoured 10 kilograms of food on camera – and then died of a heart attack at age 20. Then there’s the Filipino YouTuber, also in his 20s, who had half a million followers watching him stuff his face. He died the day after filming another 'eating show.'

What’s the common thread here? These people were lauded, celebrated even, for eating themselves into an early grave. And the comments? 'Yas queen! Love your body! Keep slaying!' Keep slaying? No, they were being slayed – by their own choices and by a culture that told them it was okay to keep going.

I can’t stay silent anymore. This isn’t body positivity. This is body poisoning. And if we don’t snap out of it, we’re going to end up with more people being buried under the weight of 'self-love.'

African parents? Oh, they’re brutal, alright. But sometimes, that brutality saves lives. If my dad hadn’t called me out, I’d probably still be waddling around, out of breath and on the brink of diabetes. Yeah, his words hurt – but they also healed.

So, what’s the takeaway? Sometimes the hardest words to hear are the ones that actually save us. It’s time we stop sugarcoating self-destruction and start serving up some hard truths – with a side of reality check.

Because sometimes, 'I love myself just the way I am' is the most dangerous lie we can tell ourselves.

Disclaimer: Images used on this blog are for illustrative purposes only and remain the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

From Big Buns to Thin Runs: Why Celebrities are Shrinking Faster Than Your Data Bundles

From Big Buns to Thin Runs: Why Celebrities are Shrinking Faster Than Your Data Bundles

Okay, let’s talk about it. Remember when having a butt(yansh) that could double as a coffee table was the ultimate goal? Yeah, well, that trend is waving goodbye faster than your Wi-Fi during load shedding. Welcome to the era of being thin, and I mean thin-thin. Celebrities are slimming down quicker than a TikTok dance challenge, and it’s getting weird.

Let’s start with Mercy Johnson. Sis was never even fat. Nope. She was just fine, healthy, looking like a solid meal. Then, BAM — a few weeks later, she’s so thin you’d think she was auditioning to be the wind. Everyone’s talking about it. Is it sickness? Is it because she’s selling weight-loss products? Or is it just the new celeb starter pack: two shots of Ozempic and a side of stress?

Speaking of Ozempic, Nelly Rose just snatched her waistline like a thief in the night. But she didn’t go full alien on us. She kept her curves, just lost the tummy, and honestly, she looks good. But here’s the problem — now everyone thinks the secret to happiness is looking like a walking coat hanger.

Now, let’s talk about Kiki Palmer. Oh, Kiki. Back in 2023, she was preaching to the choir about not setting unrealistic body standards. "I’m not out here trying to make you feel bad about your body," she said on her podcast. Fast forward to 2025, and she’s strutting around in an orange Christian Dior gown with hair as red as the hypocrisy alert sign. And she’s looking thinner than a Snapchat filter. I mean, Kiki, girl, which one is it? Are we embracing our bodies or trying to fit into a teaspoon?

(Keke Palmer before 2023)

(Keke Palmer after 2025)

And now, the Wicked saga. If you thought that movie was just a musical, think again. That movie was wickedly wicked to Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. I mean, look at them now. Cynthia’s out here looking like a reptile lizard — yes, you heard me. Her cheekbones are so sharp you could cut glass. And Ariana? Sis is giving ‘toddler on a juice cleanse’ vibes. That movie was supposed to be about witches, but it seems like the real spell was cast on their waistlines. And no, I haven’t watched it and never will. That movie was wicked, and not in a good way.

Now, let’s throw in the rest of Hollywood — shrinking faster than those jeans you accidentally threw in the dryer. And the internet is eating it up like it’s the new keto.

But here’s the tea: if every Gen Z and Millennial starts chasing this thin trend, we’re gonna have a bunch of people out here looking like Instagram filters in real life. And not in a good way. So, before you start Googling ‘how to look like a fashion week runway model in 3 days,’ remember this: Trends come and go, but your body is your body. And honestly, healthy looks a whole lot better than hungry. Just saying. 🤷🏿

Disclaimer: Images used on this blog are for illustrative purposes only and remain the property of their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended.