Is Netflix Poised To Usher In A New Era Of Body Positivity Into Hollywood?

Over the last two decades, Hollywood has held on to movies like Hairspray, Tall Girl, Precious, Dumplin, and Last Holiday, symbolizing their adherence to body positivity. Still, these movies are few and far between. The Careers of actresses like Gabourey Sidibe, who delivered a show-stopping performance in the movie Precious, and Rebel Wilson, who stole hearts through her performances in Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids, typify Hollywood’s addiction to one dominant body type.

While Sidibe’s role in Precious earned her an Oscar nomination and a lot of work in television, She has struggled to find roles in film that are not stereotyped to her body type. Rebel Wilson has also publicly admitted to being denied romantic heroine roles because of her size.

Katya Karlova describes this conundrum; “It’s not necessarily about what happens on the screen, it’s the impact it is having on society. People look for themselves in movies; they are seeking validation through representation. For a long time, I hid my body; I didn’t celebrate it and didn’t love it. It took a lot of courage to start modeling and find the fulfillment I now feel when I pose before a camera. Whether we like it or not, we are affected by what we see; society is engineered by pictures. It is just the way we are wired.”

Karlova is a model and speaker. She is currently the VP of Talent Acquisition at an LA-based marketing company. The UCLA graduate and Young Alumnus of the Year award winner is a fierce advocate for body positivity and sex positivity and believes that women can be both sexy and classy at the same time without having to succumb to what she refers to as “ossified societal stereotypes.”

Karlova has walked the tightrope between working a high-end corporate job and building a sensational modeling brand, two career paths that most people consider incompatible. Katya attributes a lot of mental health issues among women to a society where women don’t feel free and are forced to feel conscious about their bodies.

Thunder Force; Is Netflix Making A Statement?

It’s not often that we get to see two plus-sized female superheroes. In the movie Thunder Force, Octavia Spenser teamed up with Melissa McCarthy to deliver a strong performance, breaking the common superhero stereotype.

In the Netflix hit series Orange Is The New Black, Netflix also masterminded another body-positive moment. The series has been widely applauded for its casting of so many women with different body types. However, as expected, not everyone has received these movies well.

“It takes consistent baby steps to break out of a mold,” Korlova explains, “I ignored my mental health for so long that it began affecting my physical health. At some point, I was having panic attacks and getting sick all the time.”

“Through a lot of therapy and self-care, I found the courage to love my body again, to try on things that I first felt uncomfortable wearing, and gradually become proud of how I look. It is okay for people to be uncomfortable at first; that is probably why some of these movies do not get the reception they deserve initially. However, if we keep taking those baby steps, we eventually arrive at a place of healing. There are way too many women hurting out there, and Hollywood is responsible for fostering communal healing by promoting more body types on screen.”

Prioritizing Mental Health

Karlova has had to display the full spectrum of femininity; both a corporate professional and stereotypically feminine lingerie model. She had to push herself to the apex of her corporate career as almost an escapism from her internal struggles, but it was in modeling that she found her calling.

“You can achieve all you want, but until you find that thing that you truly love doing, your mental health struggles will always get in the way of your happiness,” Karlova explains.

“I have achieved a great deal in my corporate career, but it was modeling that truly made me happy. Often women are way too agreeable and easily influenced. Women shouldn’t depend on Hollywood’s representation to find happiness; they must find that within themselves. They need to know that they can be anyone they want to be. The first time I ever posed in lingerie, it felt awkward, but with time, I looked at those pictures and thought, ‘Wow! am I really that beautiful?’ I learned to love myself afresh when I found the courage to shut out the noise and pursue the things I love.”

While Karlova advocates for women to find their strength within themselves, it is also clear that Hollywood does owe women in society a duty to give them more representation.

According to a study published in The Guardian, women are 40% more likely to have mental health issues than men. The study highlighted external environmental factors as one of the leading causes of mental health issues among women. According to the study, mental health issues affect women’s self-worth or self-esteem, and women tend to begin viewing themselves more negatively. Most mental health professionals believe that mental health issues should be fought from within and without. That means educating and reshaping the societal causes of mental health issues.

According to Karlova, “Having a dream and actively pursuing it gave me so much life and healing. As a speaker, I see myself speaking on prestigious stages and delivering TED talks. As a model, I see myself posing for magazines like Playboy, Maxim, and Sports Illustrated. These are some of the dreams that propel me, and as my brand grows, I am slowly seeing them become realities. It is almost impossible to dream while wallowing in self-pity and anxiety.”

“However, when the work is done within, we also need the environment to reflect that same energy. This is why I spend time advocating for more body positivity and sex positivity; this is where age-old institutions like Hollywood come in.” She added.

Netflix has previously been criticized for not being straightforward regarding some issues within marginalized communities. However, we cannot turn a blind eye to the company’s work towards advancing equality. Movies like Thunderforce and the TV series Orange is The New Black might have received mixed reviews, but they have certainly made a statement. Now Netflix only has to continue on that path as we hope for a brave new world where women are not defined by their waistline.