Why it matters
The law is part of a growing national campaign to tackle weight discrimination, with lawmakers in New Jersey and Massachusetts considering similar measures. Michigan and Washington state already ban it, as do some cities, such as Washington, DC
New Yorkers testified earlier this year at a city council hearing that they were discriminated against because of their weight. A New York University student said desks in classrooms were too small for her. A Metropolitan Opera soprano said she had to deal with body shaming and pressure to develop an eating disorder.
Some business leaders and Republicans had expressed concern about the bill, including Kathryn S. Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City, a business advocacy group, who said it could be a burdensome mandate for businesses and a burden on regulators . and the legal system.
Background
Obesity rates have been rising in the United States over the past two decades, and more than 40 percent of American adults are considered obese.
The body acceptance movement and self-proclaimed fat activists have sought to reduce bias and shame around weight. Podcasts such as “Maintenance Phase” have spread awareness that not all overweight people are unhealthy and that diets often fail.
New York City has been a center for fat activism since the 1960s, when a mob of 500 held a “fat in” in Central Park.
Tigress Osborn, president of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, a nonprofit advocacy group, said she hoped other cities would pass similar laws to get the message across that discrimination on size is a “serious injustice.”
The bill’s sponsor, Shaun Abreu, a council member from northern Manhattan, said he gained weight during the pandemic and noticed people treating him differently. He said the law would make employers think twice about discriminating against overweight people and raise awareness about the problem.
“It’s also about changing the culture in how we think about weight,” he said.
What’s next
Weight discrimination complaints will be investigated by the city’s Human Rights Commission, which already investigates complaints about race, gender and other issues.
State lawmakers in New York are also considering a weight discrimination law. The city law goes into effect in 180 days.