I hate Before and After pictures. I hate Before and After testimonials. I hate them because they are a harm to the people who see them and also, I believe, to the people who post them.
Before and After is a lie. We are always changing and we are not inadequate until we’ve learned adequacy. At every single stage of our growth and learning we are adequate. We are deserving of love and respect.
When I see a Before and After picture my first thought is, “What are they selling?” Intentionally or not, they are selling a consumer idea about good bodies. Posting them — whether or not we’re sharing a link to a plan or a supplement or an exercise routine — we are participating in the cultural idea that we are not good enough unless we substantively change how we look. Before and After pictures are not identifying need; they