Today Tonight - Channel 7 tonight

i've heard about employers say to applicants 'you're too fat' etc. what idiots, these days it easier to take it to fair work aust etc but i still think it would be hard to prove.

Goooooo Kate!
I agree.
Wanker!

I saw it ....

I would have thought that you could have sued that he said that - or taken them to the anti-discrimination tribunal or some such. Especially if you were qualified.

People can go ahead and not hire you - but they can't say that! What a bastard.

When going for a job interview for a part time job years ago the guy told me that he would not hire me because of my weight. I cried for a week. The stupidity of it was that he was just as over weight as I was. Now when I see him town I always make a point of smiling and saying hello while under my breath I'm saying I wouldn't even work for you now if you paid me a million dollars. Wanker.

This is interesting indeed..

When I was doing my pre-sleeve psych consult we were talking about how I may be perceived differently at work once I started to lose weight etc..

She then went on to tell me that she had seen a patient many years ago that had received 3 promotions in a year since having the sleeve.. She hadn't changed 1 bit in herself besides her looks, and this turned out to really effect her as she couldn't understand how people could be judging her so much based on looks and not her effectiveness in the roll.

I was discussing this with my partner this evening. I do believe there would be some discrimination, however I think my weight has actually worked for me in some way.

I work in a profession where approx 70 % of the workforce is female. I have been very fortunate to progress in my career where I am now in a role I love at a company I actively sought a position with. Because I have always been heavy I believe that my peers - mainly female - have never questioned my intelligence or ability to do the role.

I've heard those same peers belittle other skinnier peers when they have success, ie. " of course she got the role, they all drool over her".

I figure I've proven myself enough and cemented my reputation in my industry that becoming a smokin hot babe should have no impact on my career, except to give those biatches - sorry - peers, something better to gossip about because I'm not keeping my op secret.

I figure if they're talking about me they're leaving some other poor buggar alone.

love it sarbear, kick some ass

I agree that it is a problem the pretty skinny chick will always get the promotion in a job even if the large girl is more qualified :( Thats ok cause the skinny girl is about to apear LoL..

in have yet to read or see the articles and so will must probably have people screaming at me. I am partially deaf, have depression and anxiety and of course morbidly obese. It sucks that of course overweight people have been put into the stereotype of lazy, don't care about themselves, etc etc.

It is horrible that employers take the stance of discriminating and thinking overweight people arent worth as much as a thinner person. Now the reason why some my get angry and pissed off with me is because I can kind of understand why a business might be reluctant to hire an overweight person, in some industries. Some jobs are physically harder than others and fitness and strength would be a possible factor in hiring someone.

I think media whether tv, mags,radio, etc should start focusing on the issues of weight - medical conditions etc, not just the latest diet etc. if that makes sense.

i also find it ironic that Aust population is mainly on the fat/unhealthy side, so I am sure that some discrimination towards overweight people is those in employment positions who are overweight anyway

hope that makes sense

Will see if I can look up the article online. I have had enough discrimination for being deaf and I suspect my weight also added to it. Since I have lost a bit, I think people seem a little more silling to engage with me now.....can't wait to see how things are in the future!

But its so annoying, that being obese seems to equate to being less valuable to people.....Your brain does not shrink or become impaired just because you are obese!

I saw that there is going to be a story tonight on Channel 7 (Today Tonight) about larger people being discriminated against in shops. People may be interested in seeing it.

I also found a story in the Sydney Morning Herald online today - but can't locate it again. It talked about a study that took before and after pictures of people who had bariatric surgery and asked recruiters to indicate whether they would hire them, what promotion prospects they thought they would have and what sort of salaries.

Overweight people were less likely to be hired or promoted, and they were judged to be worth less money.

I think that is just shocking! But yet another good reason for making the sleeve decision.