Jennifer Weiner on Ozempic, ageing and growing some boundaries!

May 13, 2025

In this engaging conversation, bestselling novelist Jennifer Weiner dives into her journey as a storyteller and advocate for women. Known for her relatable depictions of body image and sisterhood, she reflects on the importance of self-advocacy and the complexities of aging. With humor and honesty, Jennifer discusses societal pressures on appearance, her mother’s coming out, and the changing narratives of women in media. She also shares insights on writing for middle-aged women and the significance of boundaries in personal relationships.

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ANECDOTE

Rejecting Market Pressure

Jennifer Weiner shared a story of rejecting a literary agent's advice to slim down her plus-size protagonist for better marketability.
She trusted her vision and found success by portraying a size 16 woman unapologetically.

INSIGHT

Culture Distracts Women

Diet and beauty culture distract women and keep them quiet and tractable by focusing on their appearance.
This diversion drains women's energy, time, money, and power needed for world-changing actions.

INSIGHT

The Pendulum Swings Back

Initial progress in body positivity and representation has been undermined by rising misogyny and political regression.
Societal shifts towards inclusion can quickly reverse, influenced by political backlash and cultural forces.

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My guest today is the bestselling American novelist Jennifer Weiner.

I first encountered Jen When her debut novel, Good In Bed, was thrust into my hands by someone I worked with on Company magazine. It was the first time I’d ever read a mainstream novel whose lead character was a fat woman who didn’t need fixing. Good In Bed was a smash hit on both sides of the atlantic but for some reason it has taken until now to make its way to the big screen. It’s being adapted for HBO and starring Mindy Kaling.

Jen followed that up with In Her Shoes which was also made into a movie, starring Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley Maclaine. And since then she’s written 15 more novels, and an essay collection, as a well as writing a column for the New York Times.

Like Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes Jen has an unerring talent for being able to make you laugh and cry and nod in recognition all on the very same page.

Her latest, The Griffin Sister’s Greatest Hits, is another surefire hit, tackling sisterhood, our relationships with our bodies, how we’re endlessly judged on our looks and the way the world - and the music industry - treats women.

Jen joined me from home in Philadelphia to talk so much good stuff. We discussed Trump, Nora Ephron, body image, ageing, her mum coming out, wishing she had her daughter’s boundaries, why she loves writing middle aged women and so much more.

* You can buy all the books mentioned in this podcast at ⁠⁠The Shift bookshop on Bookshop.org⁠⁠, including The Griffin Sisters Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner as well as the book that inspired this podcast, The Shift: how I lost and found myself after 40 - and you can too, by me.

* If you enjoyed this episode and you fancy buying me a coffee, pop over to my page on ⁠⁠buymeacoffee.com⁠⁠.

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