Former Body-Positivity Influencer Renounces Movement

Gabriella Lascano says the body-positivity community became 'radical' and she felt 'brainwashed'.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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Gabriella Lascano, a former body-positivity influencer, spoke to The New York Times about her journey from championing the body-positivity movement to eventually renouncing it. Lascano said the movement became more extreme over time, hostile towards weight loss and exercise even for health reasons, which led her to turn against it. She claimed she felt 'brainwashed' and 'guilty' for being part of the movement, and has since become a 'pariah' to the community, though she has also lost weight and felt more like herself.

Why it matters

Lascano's story highlights the evolving nature of the body-positivity movement and the tensions within it. As the movement became more radical, it alienated some who felt the message had gone too far. Her experience raises questions about the balance between self-acceptance and health concerns within the body-positivity community.

The details

Lascano began her online career in 2010, initially pushing a message of 'loving yourself at any size.' However, she found that as she gained more weight, she became unable to do activities she enjoyed. She said the language around body positivity began sounding more extreme online, and the community became hostile towards weight loss and exercise, even for health purposes. This led Lascano to eventually denounce the movement in a 2023 video, saying she felt 'guilty' for being part of it and that it's 'not fatphobic to care about your health.'

  • Lascano began her online career in 2010.
  • In 2023, she posted a video denouncing body positivity.

The players

Gabriella Lascano

A former body-positivity influencer who has since renounced the movement, claiming it became 'radical' and she felt 'brainwashed'.

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What they’re saying

“Some days, I would look at photos and not even recognize myself. I'm only five feet tall and at my heaviest, I was close to 400 pounds. I started to wonder if loving myself at any size had become an excuse to ignore how big I was getting. I felt like I saw myself being brainwashed, essentially.”

— Gabriella Lascano, Former Body-Positivity Influencer (The New York Times)

“But as the body-positivity community became more radical, I was scared to say the wrong thing, so I stayed silent. Then, my friend died. She was a body-positivity influencer who founded the world's first plus-size salon.”

— Gabriella Lascano, Former Body-Positivity Influencer (The New York Times)

“We can still be body positive, while acknowledging these risks. We can still love ourselves even if we want to lose weight. That's what real body positivity should stand for. Loving yourself at any size and having the freedom to change it.”

— Gabriella Lascano, Former Body-Positivity Influencer (The New York Times)

The takeaway

Lascano's experience highlights the complexities and tensions within the body-positivity movement, as it evolved from a message of self-acceptance to one that some felt had become too extreme. Her story raises important questions about balancing self-love with health concerns, and the need for nuance in discussions around body image and wellness.