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Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

Chapter 15

Weight and Appearance

Table of Contents

Page No. in the IM

Chapter Outline

Chapter Objectives

Lecture Notes and Teaching Suggestions

Key Facts (and Associated Questions)

Selected Items for Instructors’ Consideration as Discussion Points

Questions to Consider (End of Chapter)

Actions and Exercises

Suggested Test Questions

Chapter Outline

1. Introduction and Overview

2. Population

4. Appearance

6. Effects of Weight on Health and on Costs to Employers

7. Is it the Fat, the Health, or the Stigma of Overweight?

9. Recommendations for Individuals and Organizations

11. Key Terms

13. Actions and Exercises

Chapter Objectives

After completing this chapter, readers should understand weight and appearance as factors

in organizational diversity. Specifically, they should be able to:

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

• discuss increasing weight levels in the United States and in other populations around

the world.

• discuss legislation relevant to discrimination on the basis of weight and appearance.

• explain how weight and appearance are relevant aspects of diversity.

Lecture Notes and Teaching Suggestions

This chapter considers weight and appearance as diversity issues. Even though these

considerations may seem unique, they are relevant for a variety of reasons. Weight is

increasingly important as the population in the United States (and much of the world) fail to

monitor their weight. Obesity discrimination is not currently prohibited by widespread

federal laws, although, in some cases, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and some

state and local statutes may be applicable. Even though overweight is not confined to

Because weight and appearance are clearly visible, decision-making on the basis of these

aspects is easily made, fitting well with Dworkin and Dworkin’s characterization of

‘minority’ groups discussed in Chapter 2. Overweight and unattractive people often have

little organizational power, but due to the stigma associated with their weight, they less

frequently resist differential treatment than other ‘minority’ groups.

Students may express concern that weight, unlike race or sex, is controllable; therefore, it

should not be viewed as other ascribed characteristics. The instructor should point out

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

Appearance also includes height, makeup, attire, beauty, and other surface-level factors. ,

These factors also affect people’s experiences and their treatment in organizations. The

shortest men and women earned, less than those not in the bottom of the distribution.

Key Facts (and Associated Questions)

Questions following each “Key Fact” are helpful in stimulating class discussion. (Selected

key facts include discussion points in this Instructors’ Manual. Instructors may choose

different questions to emphasize a particular key fact depending on the needs/interests of

both the students and instructors). Instructors may wish to have students formulate

questions of their own that are relevant to the key facts and use them for class discussion.

1. In most states, people can be fired for being fat.

Question: Isn’t such criteria discriminatory?

2. Overweight women earn about 20% less than women who are not overweight.

Question: Why does excess weight negatively affect women so much?

Beauty and attractiveness are sometimes given more importance when compared to

3. Overweight people are more likely to be absent and have higher medical and benefits-

related costs than people who are not heavy, but an individual who is overweight is

not necessarily in poorer health than someone who is thin.

Question: If overweight people are more likely to be absent and have higher medical

and benefits-related costs, do these factors (mentioned in the key fact) justify

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

discrimination against them?

These factors are legitimate considerations for employers but may be used to mask

Question: How is it possible for an overweight person to be in better health than

someone who is thin?

Research evidence suggests that overweight people who exercise and eat properly but

4. Medical professionals have stereotypes about overweight people similar to those held

by the general population, and this may contribute to the fewer preventive care

services received by overweight people.

Question: Why do you think medical professionals hold these views when they are

likely to have experience working with overweight people and should have some

understanding about the causes of obesity?

Medical professionals are likely to have stereotypes about obese people just like the

5. Requiring that employees have a neat and professional appearance is generally legal,

but requirements that discriminate by race, ethnicity, sex, religion or other protected

areas are generally not legal.

Question: Even though discrimination based on appearance has seen little prohibition,

what has the constitution done to protect people from such discriminations?

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

In the face of the limited protections under the ADA, some cities, states, and localities

have taken it upon themselves to prohibit weight-based and appearance-related

discrimination. The state of Michigan and the cities of Santa Cruz and San Francisco,

Selected Items for Instructors’ Consideration as Discussion

Points

1. Research Summary 15.1: Fat Women Fare Worse than Fat Men, But, It’s

Complicated!

This feature discusses the results of multiple field studies, using real employed samples.

The section particularly focuses on two studies that discuss the effects of weight on pay

and occupation. The studies revealed that fat women had lower earnings and less

education and were less likely to be married than slim women. Also, fat women were

more likely to be in poverty and were found to be working in sex-segregated jobs. Fat

men had fewer or no negative effects when compared with slim men.

Questions to Consider:

1. Why are the work-related effects of overweight different for men and women?

2. Researchers have debated whether people are fat because they are poor or are

poor because they are fat. How might each affect the other? Explain.

Being poor may affect being fat because they are unable to purchase fruits,

vegetables, and higher quality foods; have less access to high-quality medical

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

care and advice; and are less educated about health risks associated with obesity

and sedentary lifestyle.

2. International Feature 15.1: Research Translation of Beauty, Stature, and the

Labor Market: A British Cohort Study

When combined with Research Summary 15.1, this study reiterates the relationship

between obesity and lower earnings. It adds to the studies on appearance issues by

Questions to Consider:

3. How might height affect employers’ perceptions about applicants or employees?

4. What specific recommendations would you make to help employers avoid height

discrimination?

3. Featured Case 15.1: Bonnie Cook: Fat, but Clearly Competent

This feature discusses the case of Bonnie Cook, a morbidly obese woman who

experienced obesity discrimination by a former employer. Cook had worked for the

employer twice before and was successful. She was told that her weight would

compromise her ability to do the job and would make her more likely to become ill, be

absent, and file workers’ compensation claims. Cook sued the employer under the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (the precursor to the ADA) and won the case. The court

took into consideration that her weight was due to a medical condition and that she ate

properly and exercised.

Questions to Consider:

5. Why do you think MHRH refused to rehire Bonnie Cook after she had

successfully worked for it twice before?

It is possible that this might have happened due to a breakdown in the

6. What might MHRH do to avoid this kind of situation in the future?

MHRH should focus on job-related factors in decision-making. For prior

4. Featured Case 15.2: Jennifer Portnick: A Fat but Fit Aerobics Instructor

The case of Jennifer Portnick was the first case that was filed under San Francisco’s

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

ordinance prohibiting appearance-related discrimination. Portnick is a “fat, but fit”

woman who had been doing aerobics for years. She was so successful that her

instructor suggested her to try to become a certified Jazzercise instructor. The

Jazzercise organization refused to let Portnick try out because of her size. The

organization told her to reduce her intake of carbohydrates and that a Jazzercise

applicant needed to look leaner than the public. Portnick sued Jazzercise and won the

case. Jazzercise revised its position, noting that it is possible to be of varying sizes and

still be fit. Thereafter, Portnick began teaching aerobics at the YMCA.

Questions to Consider:

7. What are the likely responses to having an aerobics instructor, such as Jennifer

Portnick, who is larger than the “normal”-weight students at a health club? What

are the likely responses from the general public to the Jazzercise settlement?

8. Is being “fat and fit” possible? If so, how could this be reconciled with the

documented higher costs associated with heavier employees?

9. The YMCA viewed Portnick’s size as an opportunity to reach the sedentary. How

might this opportunity be realized?

This opportunity could be realized by advertisements specifically noting that it is

5. Table 15. 1: Mean Costs of Overweight and Obesity at General Motors

This chart demonstrates the higher medical and drug costs associated with heavier

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

employees than those who are not as heavy. Because such costs are well-documented,

some people may believe that weight-based discrimination is justified. Encourage

6. Organizational Focus 15.1: Multiple Diversity Concerns at Abercrombie & Fitch

This feature describes the multiple diversity concerns of the upscale retailer

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF). Reports and the settlement indicate that Abercrombie’s

focus on “All–American” salespeople resulted in exclusion and alienation of Latino,

Questions to Consider:

1. Chapters 4 and 5 discuss the youthfulness of African Americans, Asians, and

Latinos when compared to Caucasians. What are the potential ramifications of

ANF’s exclusion of these groups as employees and models?

ANF’s exclusion of such groups might result in discrimination lawsuits being

2. How might having buyers from different racial and ethnic backgrounds have

circumvented the marketing “blunders” and lost business associated with the

offensive merchandise at ANF?

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

3. How may the company’s denial of discrimination, even after settling the first

lawsuit, have negatively impacted the effectiveness of measures to stop

discrimination in hiring and advancement at ANF?

The denial of discrimination may result in the company’s measures being viewed

4. How is ANF doing financially?

5. Choose a retail store in your area or use a catalog to document (in one visit) the

racial, gender, and age composition of the sales associates (or models, if a

catalog). What diversity-related factors are visible from your report?

Questions to Consider (End of Chapter)

1. What are the employment and income-related effects of being overweight for women?

For men?

Overall, people who are overweight are less likely to be employed and have lower

earnings when they are employed and are more likely to be disciplined (and

2. The association between excess weight and higher absence and medical and benefit

costs is clear. What is the meaning of this relationship regarding weight

discrimination for the many individuals who are fat and for organizational

policymakers? How should organizations address weight-based discrimination, given

these clear, costly associations?

The clear correlation between excess weight and higher absence and medical costs

means that individuals who are fat should attend to their health and work to minimize

3. Fat is commonly believed to be the result of laziness and gluttony rather than a

combination of factors. How do these perceptions affect the experiences and treatment

of overweight people in organizations? What can be done about these perceptions?

Laziness is a negative attribute that has clear work implications. No one wants to hire

someone who is lazy. If fat people are viewed as being fat because they are lazy, then

4. What laws are relevant to weight discrimination and appearance discrimination? How

might seemingly legitimate appearance requirements result in illegal discrimination?

What should organizations do to minimize the likelihood of such discrimination?

Relevant laws include the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA), and Title VII if sex, race, ethnicity, or religion are also at issue. Seemingly

Actions and Exercises

1. If you are personally overweight or have a close friend/family member who is

overweight, consider your or their employment or interviewing experiences. Ask

yourself or your friend/family member about them. How have they been similar to or

different from the experiences of those who are overweight described in this chapter?

2a. Conduct an informal census of employees in several places: fast-food restaurant, sit-

down restaurant, discount store, department store, government office, bank, or other

locations in which many employees are visible. Document the number of employees

and the number of those who appear a little, a lot, and very overweight/obese. What

are the race, ethnicity, and sex of the obese workers? Are any of the overweight

employees working in positions of power (e.g., managers, supervisors)?

2b. Choose two nights to watch television for thirty minutes to one hour each. Document

Chapter 15: Weight and Appearance

the program, type of commercials, and the numbers of overweight/obese or physically

unattractive characters on the programs and commercials. What are the race, ethnicity,

and sex of those characters/actors?

2c. What similarities and differences are apparent between the people in questions 2a and

2b?

2d. Watch newscasters several times and during different broadcasts. Report on their

appearance (including weight, race, sex, attire, and other appearance attributes).

3. Investigate health and medical costs associated with alcoholism, anorexia, bulimia,

smoking, and/or other illnesses perceived as controllable with self-discipline.

4. Compare the look allegedly preferred by ANF to the approach used by the United

Colors of Benetton to advertising and staffing. What “look” accurately represents the

present population of the United States?

5. What recommendations would you make to help large organizations with recognized

diversity programs to reduce the likelihood of inadvertent discrimination by managers

trying to follow procedures for dress codes?

Students’ answers will vary. In order to reduce the likelihood of inadvertent