Have GLP-1s Changed Body Positivity?

Since the very beginning of time, there have been expectations for the ways that women’s bodies look. Historically, fuller body types have been seen as idealistic. Since the early 20th century, the media has created the expectation that women should be small. After a period of promoting body positivity and “natural bodies,” there was a cultural shift. Many celebrities started to lose drastic amounts of weight in a short time. How’d they do it? Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) drugs.

The research for Ozempic was initially started in 1980. The expectation was that this drug would help to regulate blood sugar levels. It wasn’t until the early 21st century that Ozempic’s weight loss qualities were discovered. In 2017, Ozempic was approved by the FDA as a Type 2 Diabetes medication. A slightly higher dose of semaglutide known as Wegovy was approved as a weightloss medication in 2021. Even today, Ozempic’s uses continue to evolve. Recent studies have shown that the drug (and others like it) could be an effective treatment for depressive disorders. 

Body positivity initially gained popularity in the early 2010’s on platforms like Tumbr. This movement focused on not just accepting, but also celebrating each person’s own body. It focused on fighting fatphobia and racism. Brands began to capitalize on this movement. There was an increase in plus-sized models. The brand Barbie also released a “Fashionistas” line which included dolls with more curvy body types. Body positivity marked a cultural shift. In the previous decades, “skinniness” was promoted. The view on women’s bodies in the early 2000s can be well summed up by Kate Moss’ 2009 quote, “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” 

Many still saw issues with the body positivity movement. For one, it promoted “toxic positivity.” While the intention was to make people feel good about their bodies, many felt that they couldn’t feel negatively about their bodies at all.  Additionally, the body positivity movement was started to promote not only larger bodies, but also was meant to celebrate people of color, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and disabled people. After the commercialization of the movement, many claim it became only about white, able-bodied individuals. 

After the movement had already become diluted, there was another significant cultural shift in body perception. Even though GLP-1s had been approved as weight loss medication since 2021, it became more widely used because of insurance and the media. Following the heart-health initiative in 2024, private and public insurances began to approve certain GLP-1s to treat obesity. 2022 brought many celebrity endorsements. People like Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian publicly stated that GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic had helped them lose weight. When asked about his experience with Ozempic, Eric Stonestreet stated that “It’s changed my lifestyle, changed my approach to eating, changed my approach to exercise.” 

Most people hold a radical position on GLP-1s. Many have said that they view it as a “cheat” to weight loss, others claim that it is a selfish use of diabetes medication. I think it is important to remember that while body positivity is important, obesity can have many negative effects on the body. I personally cannot condemn someone who is trying to better their health.

 Confidence among youth– particularly girls is very influenced by the media they consume. Especially in today’s digital world. Ozempic has undeniably influenced social media. I think that GLP-1s have definitely had a negative impact on body image and positivity overall. However, it would be unproductive to claim that GLP-1s are bad. That’s why it is so important to have conversations about GLP-1s. Like it or not, they have gained rapid popularity and will continue to be relevant to us. 

Shiloh Hodoway (@rlhesq)- Rogers, Arkansas

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Etienne, Vanessa. “Eric Stonestreet Says Mounjaro Was a ‘game Changer’ for Type 2 Diabetes, Weight Loss: ‘There’s a Pep in My Step’ (Exclusive).” People.Com, PEOPLE, 1 May 2025, people.com/eric-stonestreet-mounjaro-type-2-diabetes-weight-loss-exclusive-11725605. 

Howard, Jacqueline. “The Ever-Changing ‘ideal’ of Female Beauty.” CNN, Cable News Network, 9 Mar. 2018, www.cnn.com/2018/03/07/health/body-image-history-of-beauty-explainer-intl. 

Cabou, Cendrine, and Rémy Burcelin. “GLP-1, the Gut-Brain, and Brain-Periphery Axes.” The Review of Diabetic Studies : RDS, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2011, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3280675/.