Obesity and Discrimination

Obesity and Discrimination

Presented By,

Tammy Smith

DID YOU KNOW???

• Weight Discrimination is almost as common as racial discrimination.

• Doctors have less respect for obese individuals.

• Obese women earn between $9,000-$18,000 less than average weight women.

• Only about 5 % of CEO’s of major corporations are obese.

Should This Individual Be Forced to Buy 2 Seats?

Food For Thought

Woman Tired Of Abercrombie & Fitch Sizeism Commissions “Attractive And Fat” Photo Shoot

Mike Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch who insisted his company didn’t make XL sizes for women because he “doesn’t want his core customers to see people who aren’t as hot as them wearing his clothing.”

The Boy Scouts Ban Fat Kids From CampIs it Really Fat Shaming Bullying???

• No one with a BMI of 40 and above can participate in jamboree.

• Scouts and adult leaders with BMI of 32 or higher could attend the Jamboree only after consultation with camp medical staff.

What is your Gut Reaction to these Photos???

Describe woman # 1 Describe woman # 2

The Elephant in the Room

• Governor Christie maintains active campaign schedule

• His weight is a topic of fascination

• Is he FIT to run for President?

• Does Christie lack discipline?

Weightism Increases Risk of Staying Obese

• Research study of 6,000 participants between 2006-2010 showed those who experienced weight discrimination were 2.5 times more likely to gain more weight or remain obese.

Weighing in on a Controversial Approach

• Daniel Callahan, co-founder and President Emeritus of The Hastings Center—obesity is a complex public health problem and that anti-obesity efforts are not effective.

• Callahan says public can learn from anti-smoking campaign which stigmatizes smokers.

• “Stigmatization lite” the threat of discrimination itself as a danger to be avoided: “ Don't let this happen to you!

Discrimination in Workplace Study

• A study published in the International Journal of Obesity, examined discrimination.

• Participants viewed resumes with a photo.

• Participants were asked to rate starting salary and employability.

• The study used pictures of women pre- and post- bariatric study

• participants' ratings of their own body image (body image) and importance of physical appearance were also associated with obesity discrimination.

Discrimination VS. Stigma

Weight Stigma or Bias• Negative weight-related

attitudes• Negative stereotypes• “Lazy” or “Lacks Willpower”• Verbal teasing • Physical Aggression • Relational Victimization• Can be subtle or direct

Weight DiscriminationUnequal or Unfair treatment because of weight.An obese individual is qualified for a job but not hired due to his/her weight.Denied a medical procedureDenied a scholarshipPrevented from renting or buying home.

Legal Action

• No federal laws exist to prohibit weight discrimination.

• Exception is one state law in Michigan and a few local jurisdictions including San Francisco.

• Obese individuals rely on Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (RA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Few cases have won.

• Appropriateness for obesity to be considered a “disability” under the ADA is questionable and may lead to further bias.

• Overweight people who are not “morbidly obese” cannot file claims under ADA because they are not considered disabled.

Legislation in Action

• Santa Cruz, CA (July 1992), defines unlawful discrimination as "differential treatment as a result of that person's race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sex gender, sexual orientation, height, weight, or physical characteristic.”

• San Francisco, CA (June, 2000) passed a law specifically outlawing discrimination against people based on their weight.

• District of Columbia, Human Rights Law Subchapter II, Sec. 1-2512, outlaws discrimination in employment based upon "race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, physical handicap, matriculation, or political affiliation". (D.C. Code Ann. 1-2501 (1987 & Supp. 1993).

A Losing Battle

• 98% of discrimination lawsuits are decided in favor of employer.

• The Supreme Court of California ruled in September 1993 against plaintiff Tony Cassista who sued Community Foods for refusing to hire her.

• Court said if she said she was disabled because of her weight she would have been protected under California law. (Cassista v. Community Foods, Inc., 856 P.2d 1143 (Cal. 1993

Call For Action

• What can be done???• Get the law changed in your area!!!• Successful changes have been made in laws that already

require equal treatment for various disadvantaged groups, and to which "size" and/or “weight" is simply added as an additional protected class of people.

• This has been done in a few individual cities, but it is possible that it could be done for an entire state or a nation.

Legislation in Iceland • Iceland has been drafting a new constitution.

• Sigrun Danielsdottir is a licensed psychologist in Reykjavik, Iceland and the president of the Icelandic Association for Body Respect who asked the group that is drafting the constitution, to add "weight" to the list of protected classes listed under the section on equality in October, 2012.

• The CSWE (Council on Size & Weight Discrimination) made the following public statement: "The CSWE supports the efforts to add wording to the new draft Constitution in Iceland that would prohibit discrimination based on the size and weight of its citizens. In the future, many groups may enjoy equal treatment under the law, and persons of size should be included. Sadly, discrimination against larger people is commonplace throughout the world. Iceland should set an example for other civilized nations."

• We are a not-for-profit group which works to change people's attitudes about weight. We act as consumer advocates for larger people, especially in the areas of medical treatment, job discrimination, and media images. We Believe That:

• All people, no matter what their weight, deserve equal treatment in the job market and on the job.

• All people, no matter what their weight, deserve competent and respectful treatment by health care professionals.

• Prejudice based on weight is no different from, and no better than, prejudice based on skin color, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

• The media's portrayal of fat people is often inappropriately negative, and that the media promotes people's fear of fat and obsession with thinness.

• Weight diversity is a positive goal. Our dream is a world in which a person's life, health, well-being, and happiness is unrelated to that person's weight.

• Happy, attractive, capable people come in all shapes and sizes. • Each of us has the responsibility to stand up for ourselves and for people around us who

may suffer weight discrimination. • Sizism and weight bigotry will end when people of all sizes refuse to allow it to continue.

• NAAFA: the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance

• Founded in 1969

• NAAFA is a non-profit, all volunteer, civil rights organization dedicated to protecting the rights and improving the quality of life for fat people.

• NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through advocacy, public education, and support.

Final Thought: In the End Only Kindness Matters