The skinny on fat phobia

NYC just added height and weight to the list of protected classes in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

If Elton John and Bernie Taupin were writing their 1972 hit song today, they'd probably have to rethink the title 'Tiny Dancer.' No doubt, someone would find the 'tiny' portion offensive or, worse, even illegal.

Illegal? 

That's right. Welcome to New York City, where on 26 November, a law added height and weight to the list of protected classes in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

Human Rights law in NYC currently prevents employment discrimination based on a person’s age, race, national origin, immigration or citizenship status, color, disability, gender, gender identity, marital status, partnership status, pregnancy and lactation accommodations, caregiver status, sexual and reproductive health decisions, religion/creed, uniformed service, and sexual orientation.

If an employer violates the law, an individual can file a complaint with the New York City Commission on Human Rights or bring suit in state or federal court. Given that NYC is a major dance capital, this gives plus-sized dancers some weighty ammunition if they were inclined to test the scales of justice.

New York City councilman Shaun Abreu sponsored the bill: “As this applies to dancers, the basic question is, can you dance? And if the answer is yes, no matter your size, you should have a fair shot at becoming a dancer.”

Clearly, the councilman hasn't spent enough time walking the streets of the Big Apple. If he did, he might see more pressing issues other than corpulence that need to be dealt with, like perhaps homelessness, drug abuse, crime, and mental health. These are obvious and visible issues, but it would make too much sense and require way more thinking to tackle. So, like much of our politics today, elected officials present vapid legislation under the guise of equity and social justice as hefty and meaningful solutions to problems plaguing our age.

In fairness to Councilman Abreu, New York City has lumbered its way to introducing this legislation. The New York Times, which dedicated more than 1,500 words to the subject of weight discrimination in dance, reports:

Michigan, Washington State, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco passed laws banning size discrimination in recent years, though no tidal wave of dance-world reform has followed. Still...the growing legal momentum — New Jersey and Massachusetts are considering similar measures — is at least spurring meaningful conversations in the dance community.

As Bloomberg Law reported earlier this year, “the lists of protected classes under anti-discrimination laws have expanded in novel ways this year in cities and states, barring workplace bias for characteristics not historically spelled out in civil rights statutes. New anti-bias laws cover categories such as reproductive health choices, criminal histories, and even polyamorous relationships in the case of one Massachusetts town.”

In Seattle, caste (India’s traditional social stratification system) was given protected status in February. More than 20 states and a dozen cities now prohibit “workplace bias against protective hairstyles such as braids and locs as well as natural textures that are associated with race.”

Of course we at Collapse Life are in favor of a world where fat people don’t get fired simply because of their weight and Indian people don’t get passed over for a job because of their caste and people with dreadlocks don’t get denied housing.

We most certainly don’t believe in reverse discrimination, which oddly seems to be rearing its ugly head. Just look at the woke standards of university admission processes, or even flying on airplanes. Thanks a lot, Southwest.

@kimmystyledHow to use @southwestair customer of size policy. Southwest is the only airline that allows you a second seat at no extra cost even if the flight is FULLY booked. You HAVE to use it at the departing gate when you start your journey. If you don’t use it going out you cant use it flying back. Go to the departing gate agent and kindly ask them to use the customer of size policy. I’ve done this a dozen times and never had an issue or been denied. They will print you a new ticket + a second ticket to put down on your free seat. You will also be allowed to pre board! Enter the aircraft, get your seatbelt extender, and grab your seat! I place the ticket in the seat next to me. I always take the window seat. If anyone tries to sit it in I kindly let them know I have two seats booked. To be honest I almost never get approached because no one wants to sit in the middle seat next to a fat person on a plane 🙃. I’ve heard from others sometimes southwest will just put customer of size in your account so anytime you approach the main ticket gate you’ll get both your tickets at once but this hasn’t happened to me yet. I think this has to do with how “visibly fat” you are. Public airplanes are public transportation and should be accessible and comfortable for us all. I applaud @southwestair for being the only airline with a fair and humane way of flying fat passengers with dignity. We shouldn’t have to pay for two seats. Seats should be larger for all people including tall and pregnant passengers. Since airlines got deregulated it’s been an ADA nightmare. Airlines should also allow wheelchairs in the cabin esp power wheelchairs. This is an access issue at the end of the day and discriminatory to fat and disabled customers. #southwest #southwestairlines #customerofsize #customerofsizepolicy #plussize #plussizetravel #traveltips #plussizetraveltok #traveltok

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