Do social media influencers have a responsibility to their followers? A responsibility for the impact of their messaging and posts? A responsibility to avoid harming those who follow their pages and trust their opinions?
More specifically, do influencers who have been prominent in the body positivity movement have any responsibility regarding their messaging if they choose to utilize GLP-1s (i.e. “weight loss injectables”, Ozempic, Mounjaro, and the like) for the purpose of intentional weight loss?
A few things to make clear before you read the rest of this post:
- GLP-1s were created to assist with controlling blood sugars for those who have diabetes. They have been prescribed at specific doses for that purpose for at least a decade, and have been shown to be effective. In this post, I am referring to those who have chosen to take higher doses solely with the hope of weight loss.
- I believe that EVERY person has the right to bodily autonomy, and does not need to justify their decisions to anyone. That is not the question I am posing in this post.
A Tale of Influencing in the time of COVID
One of the impacts of COVID-19 was the shutdown to the status quo of life. Many of us were left with space and time to reflect on how we had been living our lives. The daily discussion of death also led to many folks questioning and realigning their values.
This period was a time of heightened body positivity on social media. After all, being faced with the reality of existing in the midst of a pandemic, with so many unknowns at that time, really put into perspective the obsessive energy that we often put into trying to shape, mold, and change aspects of our bodies. We were all eager to have healthy bodies, and the appearance of those bodies seemed less important.
It was a great time to seek out body diversity in your social media newsfeed because it could easily be found. It was a great time for folks to post quotes and statements about loving your body, no matter the size. Clothing lines were expanding to include more inclusive sizing (which unfortunately many have since taken away or severely reduced). A wide variety of bodies were being celebrated on social media. My own inner child was celebrating seeing people with bodies that looked like mine wearing clothing that was available in a variety of sizing!
It was during this time, probably early summer of 2020, that I came across “Influencer J” (obviously not her name or social media handle, but all other parts of this are accurate). Influencer J had a body very similar to mine – she carried her weight in her abdomen, what some might call “apple-shaped” – and she unapologetically lived life in the body she had. She was honest about the struggles that come with trying to love (or simply to not hate) a larger body when messages about needing to shrink your body are everywhere. She also embraced life to the fullest – finding ways to explore her world and enjoy her family during the days of lockdown, and expanding those adventures once things opened back up.
Influencer J was also quite the fashionista. She regularly tried on and shared clothing from a variety of brands at lots of different price points. She provided me with a visual of what a clothing item would look like on a body similar to mind (something that no clothing store does). She would share her thoughts on the fabric, the structure, and the fit. She definitely influenced me in making some clothing purchases.
The content of Influencer J was the first thing I would seek out on my Instagram stories each day. She made me feel seen and represented as a person who must dress my body, and would love to be able to dress it in items I love and which make me feel confident. I was a teenager in the 90s – I never saw anyone who remotely looked like me in media (other than the character who was portrayed as either an idiot or the funny sidekick). Influencer J was the main character, and many thousands of folks loved it based on her follower counts.
Well, somewhere along the line – maybe mid-2023 or so – I noticed that Influencer J’s content was changing. She no longer shared outfits or posted about embracing her body at whatever size it might be. She also began noticeably losing weight.
Now, I firmly believe that there is no need to comment on others’ bodies, regardless of the intent. If someone wants to share something about their body, they can choose to do so. Contrary to what we may have been taught, weight loss is not always a positive thing and weight gain is not always negative. Bodies change over time, and weight fluctuation is part of being alive.
So, if Influencer J chose not to address her changing body, she had every right to make that choice.
Then, Influencer J started talking about how much weight she had lost. She talked about how much she had hated her body previously. Were all those previous posts lies? She began showing clothing again, but mostly from clothing lines that didn’t carry anything above an XL. What about all those times she complained about the lack of access to clothing for folks in larger bodies?
You can likely guess the next part of the story.
Influencer J shared that she had been utilizing a weight-loss injectable for the past 10-ish months. She began offering to answer questions about the medication and her experience. She consistently shared how her life was so much better because she lost weight. She regularly shared numbers related to the amount of weight lost in a short period of time, numbers that I will not be sharing here because I don’t think that’s helpful and I also think they’re concerning as a mental health provider with training in working with disordered eating.
Her story transitioned from one of a fat (neutral descriptor here) woman who was loved by her partner, living her best life, and sharing inclusive clothing finds to that of a person who claimed to have been miserable for years and was offering medical advice to others despite having no medical training. She began regularly recommending weight-loss injectables to her followers. She started seeking out skin removal surgery options. She no longer ever mentioned loving yourself or standing up against anti-fat bias.
I don’t know what Influencer J’s most recent content looks like. I had to unfollow her because this person who once helped me feel more confident and comfortable in my body was now eliciting feelings of anger.
What’s Missing From the Story?
Why was I beginning to feel angry when I saw Influencer J’s content?
I am angry because it felt like the body acceptance message had been a lie. Many thousands of people – likely mostly women who have lived a life filled with body self-hatred – had grown to trust Influencer J (and all the other formerly body positive influencers). These folks followed her content, interacted with her posts, and played a role in giving her the opportunities she has been given because of her following. Then, seemingly overnight, the message of body appreciation and acceptance was gone. As soon as Influencer J’s appearance more closely aligned with the US standard of beauty (i.e. thin), even she began to say the same hurtful statements that those of us who live in fat bodies have spent our whole lives hearing.
I am angry because a person with no medical training was (possibly still is) influencing thousands to make potentially dangerous medical decisions. Influencer J has the same right to bodily autonomy that we should all have. She can choose to make any medically-related decision she wants, and I hope she has a knowledgeable and supportive team of providers to help her in making those decisions. However, she is not a medical professional. She is a hugely influential person on social media who has a captive audience filled with people who have struggled with their body image for years, and she is advising them regarding medical decisions. This is inappropriate, and may even be deadly for some!
I am angry because all the work of dismantling anti-fat bias is being threatened. The latest “miracle cure” of these so-called weight loss injectables is threatening to overturn decades of work by some of the most marginalized of people to dismantle anti-fat bias and create a world where all bodies are valued. I have personally invested the past decade in dismantling my own anti-fat bias, growing in acceptance of my own body, relearning how to relate to food, and pursuing professional training in order to support others in their own body image journey. These medications are another rung on the diet ladder. If you want to learn more about how so much of the “science” behind their use for weight loss is anything but scientific, I suggest checking out Regan Chastain’s Substack.
I am angry because the whole story isn’t being presented. I have done a lot of research related to the use of GLP-1s for weight loss. I know about the conflicts of interest of so many of the researchers who were being funded by the pharmaceutical companies while examining the effectiveness of these medications for off-label use. I know about the ways that genetics and weight cycling and socioeconomic factors impact weight. I am aware of the possible side effects of these medications, including gastrointestinal distress, malnourishment due to lack or hunger cues, and possible cancer. Yet, there are times I feel the lure of how these medications are presented because I know it’s easier to exist in our society as a thin person (because anti-fat bias is real). I am angry for the many people who haven’t had the opportunity to learn the aforementioned information, the people who see the glorified version of the injectables presented by influencers. I’m angry that fat people are being encouraged, yet again, to make potentially life-threatening medical choices because so many people believe it’s better to be dead than fat.
Do Influencers Have a Responsibility to Their Followers?
Do social media influences have a responsibility to their followers? Yes and no. Perhaps ironically, this conversation about social media requires some nuance, the very thing you are unlikely to find on social media.
No. Ultimately, the person who runs a social media page, influencer or not, is allowed to use their page in whatever way they choose. Their only outlined responsibility is to act in ways that adhere to the guidelines of the particular platform. We are all free to change our profile pictures, the subjects we post about, the content formats, and even the message itself. Even those with influencer level followings have this same freedom.
Yes. The more followers you have, the higher the number of folks who are impacted by your content. This is the very reason that accounts with high numbers of followers get paid partnerships and free stuff. The companies that partner with them know they can impact lots of people to buy from that company. This level of impact is why I would say, “Yes, these influencers do bear some responsibility to their followers.” The responsibility of an influencer may include: clarity about your views on relevant topics and clarity when those views change, clear acknowledgement of your areas of knowledge / training / expertise and keeping your content within those areas, and reminding people that it’s okay to ‘unfollow’ or block people and content that are no longer helpful to you.
Resources for Further Consideration
Here are some further resources if you want to know more about anti-fat bias, the impacts of continued attempts at weight loss, or how to improve your relationship with food and your body:
- Ragen Chastain’s Substack – Ragen combs through all the research and breaks it down into understandable pieces. She also answers reader questions.
- Reclaiming Body Trust – This book can be helpful in understanding the narrative you’ve been given about your body, and in reclaiming trust in your body’s ability to know and communicate needs.
- Intuitive Eating – Ten principles that help us reconnect with our body’s intuition and heal our relationship with food. There is also a book and workbook focused on these principles.
- Maintenance Phase Podcast – Addressing all the “science” used to shame fat people. Includes an episode entitled “Ozempic” and focusing on the use of weight-loss injectables.
You may also feel that it would be helpful to work with a therapist and/or dietitian to support your own healing with body image concerns or disordered eating. I work with folks located in North Carolina who desire to improve their relationship with food and their bodies. I’m a fat therapist and practice from a weight-inclusive, anti-diet perspective, meaning I will not be suggesting diets or intentional weight loss. You can learn more about my approach here and contact me to set up a consultation. If you’re located outside of NC, I may be able to connect you with a provider who can support you where you are – feel free to contact me and let me know a bit about your needs.
Michelle F. Moseley is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in NC. She believes ALL people deserve respect, compassion, and access to mental and physical healthcare. Michelle specializes in working with survivors of religious trauma and with those who have body image concerns, finding there is frequent overlap in these areas. You can learn more about Michelle by visiting her website at MichelleFMoseley.com or following her on Instagram – @therapy_with_michelle
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