Adding weight and height to the list of protected classes like race, sex, and religion, legislation signed into law by New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Friday outlaws discrimination based on body size.
“We all deserve the same access to employment, housing, and public accommodations, regardless of our appearance, and it shouldn’t matter how tall you are or how much you weigh,” said the mayor, who was present at a City Hall bill-signing ceremony alongside other government leaders and campaigners for fat acceptance.
The Democratic author of a book about using a plant-based diet to reverse his diabetes, Adams, claimed that the rule “will help level the playing field for all New Yorkers, create more inclusive workplaces and living environments, and protect against discrimination.”
Exemptions from the legislation, which the city council approved last month, include situations in which a person’s height or weight could make it impossible to fulfill crucial work duties.
When the legislation was being considered by the council, some business leaders voiced their disapproval, claiming that compliance could become an onerous cost.
“The extent of the impact and cost of this legislation has not been fully considered,” said Kathy Wylde, president, and chief executive officer of the Partnership for New York City, in a statement.
Other American cities, such as San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Madison, Wisconsin, have outlawed discrimination based on physical characteristics, including weight and looks.
Additionally, legislation prohibiting height and weight discrimination has been presented in places like Massachusetts and New Jersey.
The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance’s chair, Tigress Osborn, stated that the country and the world should follow New York City’s lead and outlaw weight discrimination.
It will demonstrate that “discrimination against people based on their body size is wrong and is something that we can change,” according to Osborn, who claimed that the city’s passage of the new policy “will ripple across the globe.”
The ordinance will go into force on November 22 after 180 days.
JOIN US ON WHAT'SAPP, TO GET INSTANT STATUS UPDATES AND BE IN THE KNOW.
CLICK HERE
