Tennis star Serena Williams is at the heart of a controversy surrounding women’s bodies, body positivity, and the use of GLP 1 products for weight loss.
The athlete who retired from Tennis in 2022 came under fire after her recent commercial in conjunction with Telehealth company Ro aired on Thursday.
She revealed for the first time that after struggling to lose post-baby weight, the GLP-1 treatments helped her lose 31 pounds (14 kg)
In the commercial, Williams said “they say GLP 1 is for weight loss, it's not” adding that “after kids this is the medicine my body needed”.
She had earlier shared her struggle with losing weight with People Magazine saying "I never was able to get to the weight I needed to be no matter what I did, no matter how much I trained."
Body positive groups have accused her of undoing years of work aimed at women, telling them that it was ok to take time to get back in shape after childbirth.
A comment on the star’s IG page says “The messaging here is so wrong coming from an athlete like her and very dangerous for society”.
Another user attributed Serena’s involvement with the company to her husband’s ties with the same telehealth organization.
Ro said Williams' husband Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of social media site Reddit, is an investor in the company and serves on its board.
A spokesperson for the company told Reuters that "Serena knows people may be surprised to learn that she would use a GLP-1, and that’s exactly why we think she is the perfect person to share her story,"
The company also posted a photo of Williams on its Instagram page captioned “Spotted 📸 @serenawilliams takes to the streets: she’s on Ro and proud of it”.
GLP-1 drugs promote weight loss by reducing appetite and causing the stomach to empty more slowly. Novo Nordisk's NOVOb.CO Wegovy and Eli Lilly's LLY.N Zepbound have been shown to reduce weight by around 20%.
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near...
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a...
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead a...
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy p...
Montenegrin police, working alongside the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, have arrested an Iranian national accused of carrying out a ...
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near Oman, with two U.S. officials accusing Iran of the attack.
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a rise in fatalities among people held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy police presence as authorities sealed off the area and gave no immediate explanation for the incident.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming Moscow is pressuring Belarus to support an expanded Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
Manhattan prosecutors have moved to drop a third-degree rape charge against movie producer Harvey Weinstein after his accuser said she no longer wished to testify. The decision ended what could have been a fourth New York trial in the long-running sexual assault case.
Villagers took part in Dragon Boat Festival celebrations on 24 June in Foshan, Guangdong province, where traditional racing was held on the narrow, winding Diejiao River.
British artist David Hockney, one of the most influential figures in contemporary art, has died at age 88, his publicist said on Friday (12 June). He died peacefully at his home in London one month before his 89th birthday.
Thousands of revellers packed Berga's main square as fire-devil performers showered the crowd with sparks during Catalonia's UNESCO-listed La Patum festival.
The 79th Annual Tony Awards took place on Sunday (7 June) at Radio City Music Hall, celebrating the strongest performances of the Broadway season, with singer-songwriter P!nk hosting and delivering the opening performance alongside a host of musical guests.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment