Oprah Winfrey Was ‘Shamed’ When She Weighed Over 200 Pounds
Renowned media icon Oprah Winfrey has revealed her experiences of facing “condescension” from stores when her weight exceeded 200 pounds.
The 68-year-old television personality has been open about her weight struggles over the years, emphasizing that people treated her differently when her weight was on the higher side of the scale.
Speaking during her appearance on Oprah Daily’s ‘The Life You Want Class: The State of Weight’ panel, Oprah Winfrey addressed the issue, stating, “This is a world that has shamed people for being overweight forever.”
She continued by acknowledging the disparity in treatment based on weight, especially in shops, saying, “And all of us who’ve lived it know that people treat you differently, they just do. It’s that thing [in shops] where people are like, ‘Let me show you the gloves. Would you like to look at the handbags? Because we know that there’s nothing in here for you.’ There is a condescension. There is stigma.”
During the panel discussion, Oprah opened up about her ongoing struggles with weight, which she described as a “recurring thing.” She also expressed her belief that her battle with weight has been more heavily scrutinized and “exploited” than that of any other public figure.
She stated, “You all know I’ve been on this journey for most of my life. My highest weight was 237 lbs. I don’t know if there is another public person whose weight struggle has been exploited as much as mine over the years. You all have watched me diet and diet and diet. It’s a recurring thing because my body always seems to want to go back to a certain weight.”
Oprah Winfrey further revealed that she had resisted the temptation to use the weight-loss drug Ozempic, opting to take a more self-reliant approach to her weight management. She explained, “Even when I first started hearing about the weight loss drugs, at the same time I was going through knee surgery, and I felt, ‘I’ve got to do this on my own.’ Because if I take the drug, that’s the easy way out.”
