Máire Treasa NÍ Cheallaigh: Taking weight-loss drugs isn’t shameful, but treating them like they’re cheating is

Barbra Streisand’s clumsy attempt at a compliment to Melissa McCarthy (left) shone a light on attitudes to being overweight. Photo: Getty

Máire Treasa NÍ Cheallaigh

“She’s on Ozempic.” “It has to be Ozempic.” “Too lazy to do it the old-fashioned way.” Or the best one yet, Barbra Streisand writing a reply to a post on Melissa McCarthy’s Instagram asking if she was taking the drug. Streisand clarified afterwards that she was clumsily trying to give McCarthy a compliment because she looked great.

The post was not about weight loss. It was just a photo where McCarthy looked beautiful, but unfortunately for her, there is always a focus on women’s bodies, and those with fuller figures receive even more scrutiny.