Pretty privilege may be alive and well. For years, economists have documented the *"obesity penalty"*—the social and financial disadvantages people can face because of their weight.

In a 2026 working paper, Harvard economist Rebecca Diamond found that women who were unemployed when they began taking GLP‑1 medications saw a change 18 months later. Their employment rate rose by nearly 27 percentage points compared with women who wanted to take the medications but had not yet started—a gap larger than the employment difference between American women with a high school diploma and those with a university degree. The research does not suggest that losing weight made these women smarter or better qualified for work; instead, it raises questions about how changes in appearance may affect employer perceptions.

The financial cost of weight bias is rising. GLP‑1 medications have quickly become a popular weight‑loss tool. In 2026, 11% of U.S. adults said they were currently taking one to lose weight, up from just 3% in 2024, according to Gallup. A Fairygodboss report earlier showed hiring professionals judging women with different body types, with heavier-looking women judged more harshly.