Lizzo has sparked fresh conversation about body standards after revealing that the rise of Ozempic culture is ‘erasing’ plus-size women.
Singer Lizzo has reflected on her evolving relationship with body image and the shifting landscape of the body positivity movement, expressing concern that plus-size women are increasingly being sidelined. In a recent essay published on Substack, the Grammy-winning artist discussed her personal weight-loss journey, the pressures placed on larger bodies, and what she sees as the growing impact of the “Ozempic boom” on representation.
The pop star, who began focusing on her health in 2023, detailed the complexity of navigating fame, public scrutiny and changing societal expectations. In her piece, titled “Why is everybody losing weight, and what do we do? Sincerely, a person who’s lost weight”, Lizzo examined how conversations about weight have shifted and why the moment feels particularly significant for plus-size communities.
Plus-size women are being erased
Lizzo revealed that despite her own transformation, she still identifies as “a proud big girl” and currently weighs 200 lbs. She argued that the growing popularity of rapid weight-loss drugs has contributed to a visible decline in representation for larger bodies across fashion, entertainment and media.
“So here we are halfway through the decade, where extended sizes are being magically erased from websites. Plus-sized models are no longer getting booked for modelling gigs. And all of our big girls are not-so-big anymore,” she wrote, adding, “We have a lot of work to do to undo the effects of the Ozempic boom.”
Reflecting on her personal journey
Lizzo also revealed that her weight-loss journey began during an extraordinarily difficult period in 2023. Describing the emotional state that pushed her to re-evaluate her life, she wrote, “I started losing weight in the fall of 2023. I was severely depressed. I had been the subject of vicious scandal, and it felt like the whole world turned its back on me. I became deeply suicidal.”
At the time, she said she coped by binge-watching shows and ordering large amounts of food. “I would eat everything until my stomach felt like it would explode,” she admitted. She later turned to Pilates and therapy, hoping to rebuild healthier habits and regain a sense of control.
Lizzo also addressed frustrations with how her talent has been overshadowed by conversations about her size. “People could not see my talent as a musician because they were too busy accusing me of making ‘being fat’ my whole personality,” she wrote.
The artist went on to discuss the stereotype-driven expectations she has tried to resist. “I had to actively work against ‘mammy’ tropes by being hypersexual and vulgar because being a mammy by definition is being desexualised. And that’s the reality that nobody wants to talk about,” she continued. According to Lizzo, many plus-size women are altering their bodies because they are “tired of being judged.”
Calling for a new direction in body positivity
Lizzo concluded her essay by urging a revitalisation of the body positivity movement, arguing that it has drifted from its original purpose. “I want us to allow the body positive movement to expand and grow far away from the commercial slop it’s become. Because movements move,” she wrote.
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