Lizzo blasts ‘Ozempic boom’ after drastic weight loss: Plus-sized women are being ‘erased’

Lizzo has voiced strong criticism against the “Ozempic boom,” claiming it leads to the erasure of plus-sized women, while sharing her personal weight loss story in a new essay. Lizzo, the celebrated musician, has ignited a conversation about body image and societal trends with her recent Substack essay, “Why is everybody losing weight and what do we do? Sincerely, a person who’s lost weight.” In it, she argues that the widespread use of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic is causing plus-sized women to be “erased” from public view, and she calls for undoing the effects of this phenomenon. Her weight loss journey began in the fall of 2023, following a highly publicized harassment and hostile work environment scandal that left her feeling “deeply suicidal.” During this difficult period, she turned to Pilates as a way to process her emotional pain through physical activity, which initially led to some unintentional weight loss. Lizzo later admitted to using Ozempic, a medication primarily for type 2 diabetes, early in her transformation. However, she emphasized that her decision to lose weight was intentional and driven by a desire to change how she felt energetically, not for superficial reasons. She didn’t want to follow the pattern of other “big girl celebrities” who attribute weight loss to medical issues, insisting that her motivation was personal and profound. Despite her weight loss, Lizzo remains “objectively big,” weighing over 200 pounds, and takes pride in her body, including the stretch marks and skin that tell her story. She expressed frustration that her identity has often been overshadowed by her size, a sentiment she believes many plus-sized women share, leading them to seek change to escape judgment. In her essay, Lizzo highlighted how the “Ozempic boom” has societal repercussions, noting that extended clothing sizes are disappearing from online retailers, plus-sized models are losing modeling opportunities, and many formerly larger celebrities have slimmed down. This, she argues, creates a void where plus-sized visibility is diminished, and women who lose weight face criticism from the very body positivity communities that once supported them. Lizzo concluded that there is significant work needed to counteract the impacts of the Ozempic trend and to rebuild trust within the body positivity movement. She is committed to fostering dialogue, promoting accountability, and introducing more nuanced perspectives into conversations about weight, health, and self-image. Looking ahead, Lizzo’s candid reflections may inspire broader discussions on how society navigates weight loss trends while ensuring that all body types are represented and valued. Her willingness to share her struggles and insights underscores the complexity of personal transformation in the public eye.