There are many federal employment laws in place that make it illegal for potential employers to discriminate against applicants on the basis of color, race, gender, religion, national origin, and even age. However, one super stigmatized group that isn’t currently protected is overweight people. In fact, size discrimination is legal in 49 states.
Size discrimination, also known as sizeism, is prejudging an individual by their weight, height, or both. Recent studies have shown that this problem has increased by 66 percent in the last 10 years. By some estimates, size discrimination is as prevalent as racial discrimination.
This issue is particularly harmful to women, who are much more likely to be judged by their looks in the workplace than their male counterparts.
Here is everything you need to know about this very real problem, and what you can do if you’ve been subjected to it.
A Socially Acceptable Injustice
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While many elements of our society are embracing curvier bodies, the law is lightyears behind. It’s perfectly legal in most states to terminate an employee for packing on a few extra pounds.
Moreover, many overweight employees have reported being treated with less respect than their thinner associates. Bigger people also have lower starting salaries and are often viewed as less qualified. They even get paid less, despite their qualifications. Obese women bear the brunt of this problem, earning six percent less than thinner women.
Studies have also found that being overweight not only affects a person’s salary, but also workplace relationships. One study concluded that over 90 percent of overweight women reported feeling left out of workplace social events. This is in startling contrast to the mere eight percent of men who reported the same weight-related stigmatism.
What To Do If You’re Facing Size Discrimination At Work
If you have been affected by size discrimination in the workplace, there are several actions that you can take.
Firstly, it’s important to remove your emotions from the equation and concentrate on specific facts, issues, and details. Feelings aren’t facts. To prove size discrimination, you need to be able to provide concrete evidence.
Keep a record of the offensive actions. Keep a private journal or notebook at your work station and write down the time, date, location, names of coworkers who witnessed the incident, and specific details regarding the offense. Be sure to take the notebook home with you at the end of each workday for safekeeping.
Meet with your manager. Sometimes, people will unknowingly or unconsciously discriminate against others. You should schedule a meeting with your manager and clearly communicate how the offensive actions make you feel and that you want to work together with them to help solve the issue.
Share resources with your team. It doesn’t hurt to educate your colleagues about this injustice. Talk with your manager about holding a conference to discuss weight discrimination at your job. Let them know what language is and isn’t appropriate when they speak about another employee’s appearance.
Take legal action. Even though size discrimination is legal in most states, you can still meet with a qualified attorney to understand your rights.
Not Just A Problem In The Workplace
Size discrimination is not only found in workplace environments. It also runs rampant in the fashion industry, and even in the healthcare sector. Plus-size women have a tough time finding inclusive brands that cater to their bodies, despite plus-size women representing over 68 percent of shoppers.
Thankfully, brands like Girlfriend Collective and Torrid are fighting the battle of size discrimination in fashion, offering plenty of trendy apparel to curvy gals.
Most shocking is the discrimination bigger people can face in the doctor’s office. Many healthcare professionals may fat-shame a patient in an attempt to motivate them to lead a healthier lifestyle. Furthermore, many medical teams exclude overweight individuals from critical healthcare research studies due to assumptions about their health status based on their weight.
The Bottom Line
Size discrimination is a very real problem that many overweight women face. It can affect them mentally, emotionally, professionally, and even financially. It’s imperative to shine some light on this issue and start a dialogue. Only after a conversation begins can real change happen.
If you feel like you’ve been discriminated against because of your size, it’s important to know that help is available and that you’re not alone. The CSDW is trying to put an end to size discrimination in the workplace. Additionally, many curvy women are taking to social media to fight size stigmatism, including Jada Sezer, Lauren Nicole, and Tess Holliday. Simply start scrolling to find gorgeous, curvy gals just like you.
Have you ever fought against size discrimination? Let us know your experience in the comments below.
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