The return of ‘super skinny’: How is it affecting young women?

Despite a momentary societal shift to accept a wider range of female body types, the need and desire to be skinny is creeping back into popular culture. This unhealthy standard has the potential to have drastic consequences for the mindset and mental health wellbeing of many people, but especially women, who have been controlled by appearance-based expectations for centuries. Throughout history, the female body has been under intense scrutiny, with women’s worth often determined by their appearance and, specifically, their weight. Although it is no longer conventional to pressure women to fit into dresses with minuscule waistlines, as it was in the early modern period, this form of control over women has not disappeared: the media has transformed the way women are displayed, viewed, and discussed.

When body positivity campaigns emerged in the 2010s, it seemed that the pressure to be super skinny had dissipated

From Oprah Winfrey being told she wasn’t allowed back on The Tonight Show until she lost 15 lbs in 1985, to Victoria Beckham being weighed on live TV shortly after giving birth in 1999, the media was regularly used to suggest that a thinner body type was the only socially accepted option. Women were actively being told to shrink, confining them to unrealistic standards and contributing to the patriarchy by making women smaller and weaker than their male counterparts. Although it was overwhelmingly adult women who were subjected to this type of harassment on television, it is generally accepted that young minds are significantly more vulnerable to the media, meaning the values and expectations they view are more likely to be internalised. But when body positivity campaigns emerged in the 2010s, it seemed that the pressure to be super skinny had dissipated.

Women who had grown up in an era that was defined by ‘size 0’ clothes began to see more inclusivity in fashion, giving them a chance to unlearn the detrimental lessons that the popular culture of the ‘90s instilled in them. However, the recent rise in the use of unhealthily thin models by Marks and Spencer, Zara, and Next arguably undoes that progress by promoting the ‘heroin chic’ that young women in the ‘90s were surrounded by. Although it is positive that the Advertising Standards Authority is actively banning adverts that present the ultra-thin body type as aspirational, the fact that these body types are re-emerging in mainstream fashion is symbolic of wider changes within society.

However, there are numerous things that make these weight loss drugs problematic. From a practical perspective, the drugs are not sustainable

Fashion journalist and consultant Victoria Moss told the BBC that she believes the rise in unhealthily thin models correlates with the growing popularity of weight loss drugs, a trend that is impossible to ignore when exploring the expectations surrounding the female body. Weight loss drugs, such as Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Ozempic, are used by approximately 1.5 million people in the UK: while they are available on the NHS for obese adults with a weight-related medical condition, they are predominantly bought privately, making specific drugs accessible without a doctor’s opinion. The drugs have been praised for enabling quick weight loss, which they achieve by suppressing appetite. However, there are numerous things that make these weight loss drugs problematic. From a practical perspective, the drugs are not sustainable.

The NHS recommends that they are not taken for a period longer than two years, and once people stop taking the drugs, they are likely to regain the weight they lost within a year, because their appetite returns; these weight loss drugs subsequently do not address the underlying issues that cause obesity. Instead, they suppress the body’s natural instinct for food, while new studies constantly confirm new, alarming side effects. Furthermore, more recently, the economic strain of these drugs has been realised by thousands of people who buy them privately. Eli Lilly, one of the main providers of weight loss drugs, announced in August that their prices would rise up to 170%, making the drugs unaffordable for thousands of people who have already incorporated them into their lifestyle.

While these weight loss drugs are currently suggested for middle-aged and older people, the popularity of the medication has had profound impacts on younger people. There are already studies to see how safe the drugs are for children as young as six, a notion which threatens to transform the way that the next generation views and treats their weight. However, right now, social media is intensifying young people’s, particularly women’s, awareness of these changes: the increasing availability and promotion of these drugs is enhancing the concept that levels of happiness are directly proportional to thinness. This is epitomised by celebrities who are starting to become brand ambassadors for companies that sell weight loss drugs: Serena Williams’ recent collaboration with Ro has been particularly controversial.

Despite this alarming shift towards ‘super skinny’, it does not seem to be all-encompassing in popular culture. A corner of the internet, made up of young women, does not aim to be ultra-thin

On the one hand, her open discussion about how difficult it can be to lose weight, especially after childbirth, has resonated with many middle-aged women, as Williams told Women’s Health that she aimed to reduce the stigma surrounding such drugs by announcing her partnership. However, as a young woman myself, I find it incredibly difficult to ignore other consequences of her partnership with the brand. When an Olympic medallist sportswoman, who is supported by coaches, nutritionists, and physiotherapists, announces that it is too difficult to lose weight naturally, it is set to demoralise and disempower many women: if she cannot lose weight with all that support and expert knowledge, how are ordinary people supposed to? Weight loss drugs are presented as the answer. Although it is important to recognise that celebrities are certainly entitled to make their own decisions about their own bodies, Serena Williams’ partnership with a weight loss company, while perhaps delivering a positive message to some, undoubtedly has the potential to damage and negatively influence women’s relationships with their bodies.

Despite this alarming shift towards ‘super skinny’, it does not seem to be all-encompassing in popular culture. A corner of the internet, made up of young women, does not aim to be ultra-thin. Instead, these influencers focus on being fuelled by food and strength training, meaning they advocate for healthy habits, promote self-acceptance and emphasise that thinness does not equal healthiness. Emily Jane Fairs is an example of this: she emboldens her followers to enjoy exercise and emphasises the importance of eating enough. Her motivational quotes, “food is fuel” and “our bodies are an instrument, not an ornament” are especially thought-provoking and encourage a shift in the female mindset regarding exercise, nutrition and, subsequently, body image. Maggie Klein is another social media influencer who aims to challenge stereotypes regarding exercise and weight. Her consistent reminders to followers that there is no such thing as a runner’s body or pace make exercise much more inclusive, encouraging young women to get active rather than listen to the propaganda that promotes thinness.

These four women have a combined total of 1.5 million followers on Instagram, so amongst the negativity that promotes food restriction and unhealthy body images, there is a solid community advocating for healthy habits

Although ‘running influencers’ dominate this uplifting side of social media, Sydney Cassidy’s and LilyLifts’ social media presence inspires young women to join the gym: instead of conforming to societal pressures that expect women to be skinny and, ultimately, weaker, these influencers inspire young women to build muscle while tackling misconceptions and stigmas that surround female involvement in sport. These four women have a combined total of 1.5 million followers on Instagram, so amongst the negativity that promotes food restriction and unhealthy body images, there is a solid community advocating for healthy habits.

The potential return of the ‘super skinny’ trend has the strength and intensity to be damaging for all, but especially young women. Although it would be foolish to ignore obesity, because it is undoubtedly one of the leading causes of death in the Western world, there is certainly a happy medium between morbid obesity and morbid thinness; society, in the form of toxic adverts and ‘revolutionary’ medication, seems to be pushing young women towards the latter instead of a healthy body weight that supports and embraces physical activity. While there are notable counter-movements against this shift, the refocus on thinness emphasises just how easily expectations surrounding the female body can revert back towards damaging and unhealthy standards.