In recent weeks, a rather embarrassing admission was made by the author. As the promotional tour for Wicked dominated the internet, an intense preoccupation with the extremely thin appearances of the film's lead actresses took hold. The author found themselves constantly checking the comments below posts of these actresses' red-carpet pictures and interview clips, desperately seeking validation for their suspicions that something was amiss while also being disturbed by the growing obsession with these performers' bodies. This incident brought back memories of a time in the early 2000s when body-shaming was rampant, and celebrities' bodies were used as grist for the mill.

Unraveling the Complexities of the Online Body Obsession

Early 2000s: A Time of Body-Shaming

Back in the early 2000s, Tumblr was filled with eating-disorder tips, and tabloids furiously covered Jessica Simpson's "weight battle" based on a single pair of high-waisted jeans. Teenagers vividly remember how celebrity bodies were exploited for body-shaming purposes, whether they were deemed too skinny or too fat. The constant exposure to images of extremely thin women led to the nagging feeling that one should also be that thin. Years later, social media is once again obsessing over a different group of women, with jokes, speculation, and sanctimonious concern.

It's clear that the impulse to shame others' bodies has not disappeared. As Elaine "Lainey" Lui, the founder of LaineyGossip.com, recalls, in the early days of gossip blogs, it was normal to shame a thin actress by saying she "looks like she needs to eat a sandwich." Although this phrase mostly died with the early-aughts tabloid culture, the underlying attitude still persists.

The Visibility of Shrinking Celebrities and Influencers

In today's digital age, shrinking celebrities and influencers seem more visible than ever online. The internet has an insatiable appetite for shocking body transformations, especially when the reasons behind them are unexplained. This provides ample room for Reddit-based detective work, speculative plastic surgeons to offer their opinions, and for readers to interpret Instagram posts or lyrics in different ways. While we know it's wrong to focus on strangers' bodies, it's impossible not to notice when our favorite singer or influencer suddenly drops a significant amount of weight.

For example, one person on X expressed their frustration when actress Barbie Ferreira looked much slimmer than on Euphoria. Others expressed concern in Instagram comments or group chats, wondering if the star was okay. The constant exposure to these images and the surrounding conversation make it difficult not to internalize the pressure to conform to a certain body ideal.

The Impact of Body-Positivity Movement and Ozempic

The body-positivity movement that gained traction in the 2010s aimed to dismantle anti-fatness. However, as Virginia Sole-Smith, the author of Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture, points out, this movement was not effective as it put pressure on fat people to love their bodies without addressing the anti-fat bias in our health system, communities, and workplaces.

Then came drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound, which have saved lives but have also sparked a cultural nerve. These drugs have elicited a lot of judgmental opinions about who should be taking them and why. The casual way in which people are now discussing these drugs has opened the door for more open commenting and critiquing of others' appearances.

The Parasocial Relationship with Celebrities

Megan Williams, 25, has been tracking the conversation around women's bodies online and is concerned about the "cultural shift back toward thinness at any cost." As someone who has recovered from anorexia and experienced both extreme overweight and underweight, she understands the dangers of extreme thinness and is aware of how it is openly celebrated on platforms like TikTok and X.

She emphasizes the importance of participating in the conversation instead of ignoring it, as we have parasocial relationships with celebrities and tend to overvalue their privacy while undervaluing their impact on real-life people. Taylor Swift's 2020 documentary revealed her own struggle with pressure to starve herself, highlighting the unrealistic beauty standards that celebrities face.

The Role of Social Media in Reinforcing Beauty Standards

Cara Bohon, a clinical psychologist and executive at Equip Health, believes that celebrities, as public figures in a celebrity-obsessed culture, reinforce beauty standards that contribute to our thin obsession. Social media has significantly increased its presence in how we view the world and society.

In eating-disorder treatment, a common step involves "curating" social-media feeds to block triggering people or dieting accounts. The thinner celebrities become, the harder it is to disengage from the body ideal. Sole-Smith emphasizes the need for a larger conversation about the value of body diversity and Hollywood casting to reduce the normalization of eating disorders.

The Hollywood Trend Towards Thinness

The Hollywood Reporter has reported a shift away from the BBL-happy 2010s, with plastic surgeons seeing patients dissolve their fillers, reverse butt-lifts, and request breast reductions. This follows the example set by the Kardashians, who look leaner and less curvy today than a decade ago. Kourtney Kardashian even sells a GLP-1 supplement that promises to "support weight loss."

This trend towards thinness is mirrored in the online obsession with women's bodies and weight loss. Tefi Pessoa, a TikTok star and red-carpet host, attributes this obsession to a complicated mix of emotions, including jealousy. She tries to address this feeling with her friends, acknowledging that it's normal to be jealous but not right to live that way.

The Influence of Celebrities on Eating Disorders

My friend Emily was overwhelmed by clips of Ariana Grande in recent months. As a huge fan who had previously struggled with a restrictive eating disorder, Grande's latest images pushed her back down a dangerous path. Emily started searching for eating disorder tips on Twitter and even changed her eating habits.

Grande's video on TikTok addressing fans' concerns about her weight and appearance did not satisfy Emily. As someone who had experienced an eating disorder herself, she understood the complexity of the situation and the need for a more open dialogue. Bohon emphasizes the importance of having offline conversations for more nuanced and constructive dialogue.

In conclusion, the online obsession with celebrities' bodies and weight loss is a complex issue that affects many. It's important to have open and honest conversations about this topic to break free from the harmful beauty standards and body shaming that still prevail in our society.