Yale university have entered into studies that show that more and more people are facing discrimination due to their weight, a problem which is so widespread it's often more prevalent than race & gender discrimination.
According to Yale there has been a 66% increase in the past decade, to include situations like healthcare and the workplace.
Sandy Schaffer of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance says she experienced this first hand.
'I was told point blank, that I was qualified enough and that I was smart enough and capable of doing the job, but they wouldn't offer me the job because I was too fat,' Schaffer said.
When asked if the employer was that blunt, Schaffer said, 'Point blank, those words.
Schaffer is now fighting back with the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. She's trying to get 'weight' and 'height' added to anti-discrimination laws.
These are obviously findings based on the US and I optimistically think that the situation isn't as bad in the UK. I certainly haven't experienced any such discrimination first hand just for being plus size but would love to hear other views on weight discrimination in the UK.
technomist
I have heard it said by colleagues that they would not employ fat people in future because they were lazy.
Unfortunately, it was difficult to challenge this stereotype when the individual that prompted this comment about most recently was in fact useless at her job, with little empathy for their fellow workers, and an astonishing capacity to pile work onto others she should have done herself and tell lies to cover her failings. This wrankled when she was seen stuffing her face at office parties, and really reinforced the prejudice people had about fat people.