#142: Is Ozempic the End of Body Liberation? (Reasons to Stay Hopeful) with Therapist Edie Stark and Fat Activist Sharon Maxwell
Description
Two returning guests join us (who happen to be my amazing friends and colleagues): therapist Edie Stark and fat activist Sharon Maxwell. We're getting into the impact of GLP-1s (like Ozempic, Wegovy, etc.) on disordered eating recovery, body acceptance, and generally navigating this world in a human body amidst the constant chatter about weight loss medications.
Edie and Sharon share their wisdom and lived experience as we talk about how we can keep hopeful in the face of increasingly problematic diet culture messaging, GLP-1s, and general uncertainty in the world. We explore the differences between individual and macro change, and the need for tangible ways to resist diet culture and comparison. It gets real, and honest, and I think it is a timely episode for anyone who has felt hope waiver these past few weeks.
Tune in to hear more about:
- What’s on their plates, literally and metaphorically
- Eating easy things when you’re feeling uninspired or overwhelmed
- How Ozempic and GLP-1s are impacting weight-inclusive and anti-diet movements
- What to do when the weight loss conversation feels louder than ever (especially in disordered eating recovery)
- Hope in the context of both diet culture and the world right now
- The role of macro and micro efforts in overcoming systemic issues
- Differences between body positivity and body liberation
- Social media's role in perpetuating the Ozempic craze and misinformation
- What it looks like to invest in the fat-liberation movement
- How we can overcome moments of doubt and body grief
- Ways to cultivate community around our values
- Sharon's call for more fat joy
- So much more!
This episode is the first of two parts, so stay tuned for next week's second act!
About Edie:
Learn more at https://starktherapygroup.com/
About Sharon:
Sharon Maxwell (She/Her) is a mental health advocate and fat activist. She works as a weight inclusive consultant, providing education to treatment centers and healthcare providers on the immense harms of weight stigma. Due to her lived experience facing weight stigma, Sharon provides unique insight and offers practical tools to make treatment centers and healthcare settings safe and accessible for fat folks. Sharon is passionate about breaking down the stigma around eating disorders and working to eradicate societal anti-fat bias. When she’s not studying or engaged in her activism work, Sharon can be found exploring San Diego with her dog and her best friend.
Read "You Don't Look Anorexic" in New York Times Magazine
Connect with Sharon on IG: @heysharonmaxwell
Learn more about Sharon: https://www.heysharonmaxwell.com/
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Group program:
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Group membership:
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Social media:
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Transcripts: If you’re looking for transcripts, you can find those on Abbie's website, www.abbieattwoodwellness.com/podcast
Podcast Cover Photography by Anya McInroy
Podcast Editing by Brian Walters
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