The recent announcement that Serena Williams has become a brand ambassador for Ro, a telehealth company prescribing GLP-1 medications for weight loss, has generated significant attention and debate. Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion and one of the most accomplished athletes in history, is an icon of strength, resilience, and athletic excellence. Her decision to front such a campaign raises important questions about influence, health messaging, and the growing cultural fixation on pharmaceutical weight-loss solutions. At the launch of the partnership, Williams stated: “I am a very good use case of how you can do everything – eat healthy, work out to the point of even playing a professional sport and getting to the finals of Wimbledon and US Opens – and still not be able to lose weight.” It is a striking admission. Here is an athlete who, for decades, challenged traditional beauty standards and embodied the power of a strong, muscular physique. Williams inspired women to embrace strength and athleticism rather than conform to narrow ideals of thinness. Yet now, the image presented is one of measurement and loss, not because she could not excel on the court or bear children, but because she could not meet society’s persistent obsession with size.
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The Scale of Influence
It is important to underscore that personal autonomy and the right to make individual health decisions must be respected. Williams’ choices regarding her body are her own. However, when such decisions are amplified through global platforms, the implications extend far beyond one individual. With 18.2 million Instagram followers and unparalleled cultural reach, Williams’ endorsement carries considerable weight in shaping public perception. This is not a campaign centered on health literacy, medical need, or the complexity of obesity as a chronic condition. Rather, it is positioned around weight loss itself. Moreover, the business interests behind the partnership warrant attention. Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is a board member and investor in Ro, raising questions about the intersection of personal health choices and corporate gain.
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GLP-1 Medications: Promise and Risk
GLP-1 receptor agonists, including semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy), were originally developed for type 2 diabetes management and later approved for weight reduction in certain populations. However, their rapid rise in popularity has outpaced the evidence base for long-term use in non-diabetic populations. While effective, these medications are expensive, inaccessible for many, and not without risks. According to the official websites for Ozempic® and Wegovy®, the most common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, and fatigue. More serious risks include pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, acute kidney injury, vision complications, thyroid tumors (in animal studies), and severe gastrointestinal issues. Reports have also highlighted “Ozempic face” (facial changes from rapid fat loss) and even hair loss. These are not beauty products; they are potent drugs with significant risks that require careful medical supervision.
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Public Health Concerns
Celebrity endorsements of pharmaceutical weight-loss products create an environment where complex medical treatments are presented as simple solutions to body dissatisfaction. This framing is particularly harmful for younger audiences, who may idolize public figures like Williams and internalise weight-loss injections as aspirational rather than medical. Eating disorders are already on the rise globally, and weight-focused messaging of this nature risks worsening the problem. Equally, the absence of adequate communication about risks, side effects, and the necessity of ongoing medical supervision fosters a dangerous illusion of safety and accessibility. Telehealth models, while expanding reach, cannot always guarantee the same standard of individualised care and monitoring as in-person clinical practice. Furthermore, Williams has publicly spoken about her struggles with her postpartum body. Referencing dissatisfaction with her physique after pregnancy in conjunction with endorsing a weight-loss drug places additional pressure on women to “bounce back” to pre-pregnancy body sizes a societal expectation that is both unrealistic and damaging.
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Beyond the Individual
The issue here is not about criticising Serena Williams’ personal decisions or body. It is about recognising the broader consequences when influential figures endorse medical products that carry significant risks. By positioning GLP-1 medications as tools for aesthetic improvement rather than clinical treatment, companies like Ro normalise pharmaceutical intervention as the primary response to body dissatisfaction. This is not without consequence. These medications are costly, often misprescribed, and if taken incorrectly, can cause serious harm. For many, even with proper use, weight is regained once treatment is discontinued. Without addressing underlying relationships with food, lifestyle, and body image, reliance on pharmacological solutions may reinforce preoccupation with weight rather than promote sustainable health.
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Conclusion
Serena Williams has every right to manage her health in the way she sees fit. But when a figure of her stature publicly endorses GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, the impact is not confined to her personal journey. It influences cultural norms, public expectations, and health behaviors at scale. We must remain clear: these medications are not beauty aids or lifestyle accessories. They are serious drugs with significant risks, uncertain long-term safety in non-diabetic populations, and high potential for misuse. Public health messaging should prioritise informed decision-making, evidence-based care, and resilience against societal pressures that reduce worth to body size. The partnership between Serena Williams and Ro may be one of the highest-profile endorsements of pharmaceutical weight loss to date, but it is unlikely to be the last. The responsibility now lies in ensuring that the conversation remains grounded in health, not thinness and that the next generation is protected from equating injections with identity, confidence, or success.
