Postfeminist Healthism and Women’s Experiences Using GLP-1 Medications for Weight Loss

• In Event: 21081 - Section on Sociology of Body and Embodiment Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 2: Weight

Abstract

GLP-1 agonists are being used off-label by people desire to lose weight quickly, with most users obtaining compounded versions of the medications at a lower cost from weight loss clinics and medspas. Patients are willing to spend exorbitant amounts of money on these medications despite research demonstrating short-term gastrointestinal side effects and a lack of information about the long-term effects of these drugs.

Post-feminist sensibility encourages women to practice self-discipline and to consistently work on improving the self, treating women’s empowerment as an individual-level pursuit (Gill 2007), stating that women in larger bodies and whose affect is not positive enough need only work harder and consume products to achieve wellness. Postfeminist healthism (Riley, Evans, and Robson 2018) conflates body size with both physical health and moral character. Women who have been shamed tor their bodies and self-concepts may view these medications as a saving grace, but research has not yet investigated the lived experience of women using these medications solely for weight loss. For this study, I am interviewing adult women who are using GLP1-agonist medications off-label (i.e. for non-medical purposes) to examine their motivations for use, find out where they learned about these drugs, and learn about their experiences while using and since ceasing use (if applicable) of these medications. In addition, I ask participants about dieting behaviors, exercise frequency, body image, and attitudes towards fatness, along with collecting demographic information.

Interviews have commenced and will be completed this Spring. The manuscript will focus on the experiences of GLP-1 medication users, focusing not just on changes in the body but also the psychological impact and emotions participants connect to usage. The results of this study will deepen scholarly understanding of the complex relationships between post-feminist healthism, embodiments of empowerment, and norms of body size and femininity in American culture.

Author

• Ariane I. Prohaska, University of Alabama