Weight-loss drugs trigger ‘cultural body trauma’ for women

The return of “skinny culture” online has coincided with the wider use of GLP-1 medications, prompting fresh concern about how women’s bodies are judged. Health advocate Yemi Penn says the drugs have brought old pressures back into public conversation.

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There’s been memes about how skinny is trending again; mean girl is trending again, forget skinny.

“There’s been memes about how skinny is trending again; mean girl is trending again, forget skinny,” Penn told AAP. GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro were developed for diabetes, but they can reduce appetite and slow digestion, making weight loss more attainable for many people.

Penn has described her own experience with the medication online. She believes she began experiencing perimenopause symptoms in her late 30s and has taken a low dose of GLP-1 for 18 months alongside a fitness plan. She said the treatment helped her eat better-quality meals without food cravings interfering and helped her complete her first book, “Bridge,” about understanding her body.

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I’ve grown up in the diet culture. I’ve done the apple cider vinegar diet, all of that. I am of that generation.

“I’ve grown up in the diet culture,” she said. “I’ve done the apple cider vinegar diet, all of that. I am of that generation.” Penn said she had not felt stigma around her own medication use after working to address her past trauma, but she saw judgment widely. “It’s triggered cultural trauma on the female body, and how much we feel we need to have an opinion on it,” she said.

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It’s triggered cultural trauma on the female body, and how much we feel we need to have an opinion on it.

Doctor Angela Kwong said many of her female patients take GLP-1 medications for medical reasons, including fertility concerns, pre-diabetes and perimenopause. She and Penn are due to discuss their experiences at the Women’s Health and Wellbeing Summit in Sydney. “There are many medical reasons why a doctor and a patient might make that decision to improve their weight, and there’s a lot of judgment out there,” Kwong said.

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There are many medical reasons why a doctor and a patient might make that decision to improve their weight, and there’s a lot of judgment out there.