Fat People Need Not Apply

Crapaud

Another in my smug I-told-you-so ongoing series of posts: Texas Hospital Says Fat People Need Not Apply

A Texas newspaper recently reported about a fat-averse Texas hospital - Citizens Medical Center in Victoria, Texas - and its unheard-of policy of refusing to hire anyone with a body mass index of more than 35.

The policy, according to The Texas Tribune, states:

... an employee's physique "should fit with a representational image or specific mental projection of the job of a healthcare professional," including an appearance "free from distraction" for hospital patients.

"The majority of our patients are over 65, and they have expectations that cannot be ignored in terms of personal appearance," hospital chief executive David Brown said in an interview. "We have the ability as an employer to characterize our process and to have a policy that says what's best for our business and for our patients."

A clear case of 'lifestyle' discrimination, IMO.

OK, it the 'merkins ATM, but how long 'till it becomes the next front in the war against fatties in the UK?

amaferanga

I guess your BMI >35 then?




We're doomed.....

Crapaud

amaferanga wrote:

I guess your BMI >35 then?




We're doomed.....

Nope, last time it was measured I had a BMI of 25 (and most of the mass was from gargantuan thighs and buns of steel). Should we interpret your response as, "I'm alright, feck 'em"?

Do you disagree that it's discrimination?

team47b

It is clearly discrimination.

Fat people should also not be allowed to serve health food, but it should be compulsory for them to serve fast food. Positive discrimination?

Fatist, I know.

20.4BMI

Aggieboy

CambsNewbie

As an employer you should be able to employ those who best represent your values, ethos and business.

Never ever discriminate on something people are born with.. Race, colour,sexuality, physical handicap etc but would you want an obese personal trainer at the gym? Or doctor telling you to lose weight? Obesity apart from a very few exceptions is in my opinion avoidable.

amaferanga

Crapaud wrote:

amaferanga wrote:

I guess your BMI >35 then?




We're doomed.....

Nope, last time it was measured I had a BMI of 25 (and most of the mass was from gargantuan thighs and buns of steel). Should we interpret your response as, "I'm alright, feck 'em"?

Do you disagree that it's discrimination?

It's in America. I don't really care. There are bigger things to worry about in the world than discrimination against very fat Americans by slightly less fat Americans.

Crapaud

CambsNewbie wrote:

As an employer you should be able to employ those who best represent your values, ethos and business.

Never ever discriminate on something people are born with.. Race, colour,sexuality, physical handicap etc but would you want an obese personal trainer at the gym? Or doctor telling you to lose weight? Obesity apart from a very few exceptions is in my opinion avoidable.

Some employers wouldn't employ cyclists, reasoning that cycling is dangerous and they wouldn't want them taking long periods of time off due to injuries / broken bones. Others would discriminate on religion, political orientation, ugliness etc. Surely discrimination is discrimination no matter on what grounds?

Wirral_paul

Crapaud wrote:

Do you disagree that it's discrimination?

I agree - they want a BMI of less than 35 so thats all Americans ruled out!! Its a clear case of trying to employ fit foreign nurses - blatant discrimination!!

CambsNewbie

Crapaud wrote:

CambsNewbie wrote:

As an employer you should be able to employ those who best represent your values, ethos and business.

Never ever discriminate on something people are born with.. Race, colour,sexuality, physical handicap etc but would you want an obese personal trainer at the gym? Or doctor telling you to lose weight? Obesity apart from a very few exceptions is in my opinion avoidable.

Some employers wouldn't employ cyclists, reasoning that cycling is dangerous and they wouldn't want them taking long periods of time off due to injuries / broken bones. Others would discriminate on religion, political orientation, ugliness etc. Surely discrimination is discrimination no matter on what grounds?

Well as someone said we are only talking about America. At the moment..

Religious and political discrimination is illegal in this country. Never heard of a cyclist being discriminated against. Surely the general health benefits out-weigh the chance of being off due to injury?

It's just my personal opinion but if for example I was manager of an Armani shop would I want a shop assistant with tattoos, piercings and dressed like a punk? No. The same time if I ran a tattoo/piercing parlour would I want someone who doesn't like tattoos and dressed in a pinstripe suit? Probably not. It's horses for courses..

Before I get shouted at by everyone, I absolutely believe in non-discrimination for race, colour, religion, sex and sexuality, political view and national or social origin.

cornerblock

CambsNewbie wrote:

The same time if I ran a tattoo/piercing parlour would I want someone who doesn't like tattoos and dressed in a pinstripe suit? Probably not.

Before I get shouted at by everyone

You're a tattooist!

edhornby

amaferanga wrote:

there are bigger things to worry about in the world ......

snigger

t.m.h.n.e.t

Wouldn't making fatties unemployable just play into their..hands?

verylonglegs

The very purpose of a job interview is to discriminate against some candidates in one way or another otherwise they'd just put all the suitably qualified names in a hat and draw one out.

Why do you think you don't see any unattractive lardy women working in upmarket department stores? Is it coincidence the best till operators they can find are a size10 with model looks? hmmn....

LeicesterLad

Clearly this isn't a thread for me - i'm still campaigning to make (self inflicted) fat people pay for their NHS treatment, along with smokers and heavy drinkers and them doleite scrubbers that feed there kids on chocolate and fanta.

team47b

LeicesterLad wrote:

Clearly this isn't a thread for me - i'm still campaigning to make (self inflicted) fat people pay for their NHS treatment, along with smokers and heavy drinkers and them doleite scrubbers that feed their kids on chocolate and fanta.

Over 80% of T2 diabetics are only diabetic because of 'self inflicted' obesity, and can become non diabetic BY GOING ON A DIET, which must really pi55 you off!

Probably not the thread for me either

LeicesterLad

team47b wrote:

LeicesterLad wrote:

Clearly this isn't a thread for me - i'm still campaigning to make (self inflicted) fat people pay for their NHS treatment, along with smokers and heavy drinkers and them doleite scrubbers that feed their kids on chocolate and fanta.

Over 80% of T2 diabetics are only diabetic because of 'self inflicted' obesity, and can become non diabetic BY GOING ON A DIET, which must really pi55 you off!

Probably not the thread for me either

It certainly does, Even more so as I am an insulin dependant Type one diabetic - I suffer through no fault of my own, yet these fatties bring it on themselves.

team47b

I'm T2 but insulin dependent, so am always 'lumped' in with the fatties 'cos of my age.

"My friend/mother/father/dog is diabetic why don't you eat cake like they do, you are so thin?" is my favourite question from fat folk when clearly that's a road bike I'm leaning against at the cafe stop, they need to get a job (cheap attempt to stay on thread) in a salad bar/sauna/(bike shop?)

daviesee

CambsNewbie wrote:

......but would you want an obese personal trainer at the gym? Or doctor telling you to lose weight? Obesity apart from a very few exceptions is in my opinion avoidable.

Happened to me at my last check up.
After standing on the scales, the nurse informed me that I could do with losing some weight*.
She was shorter than me and a fair bit heavier :evil:
The trouble with scales and BMI is that it does not take muscle weight v fat weight into consideration.


*She was right though :oops:

derbygrimpeur

daviesee wrote:

CambsNewbie wrote:

The trouble with scales and BMI is that it does not take muscle weight v fat weight into consideration.

Surely that's only a problem if you're VERY muscular. Y'know, like you are a beefcake or something. Otherwise it's fine as an indicator

Just checked and a BMI of 35 is over 18 stone in weight for someone my height (5'11.5"). Don't have a problem with that Yankie Hospital discriminating in this way.

Would you take cycling advice from someone that knows nothing about cycling? So why should people take health / weight loss advice from fatties (because they clearly know nothing about the subject).

BMI 20.6

team47b

Mrs T was told by our obese lady doctor that she is too thin and needs to put on some weight, her advice...eat cake

Luckily my nutritionalist at the hospital is more clued up (and not overweight) and her scales also measure fat percentage so she would never have to tell anybody how fat they are as they can see for themselves! I've gone from 11.5% to a whopping 15.5% taking my bmi up to 20.4!

Maybe they should check fat content at interviews rather than just bmi as it seems unfair on all you beefcakes out there

Bobbinogs

derbygrimpeur wrote:

Would you take cycling advice from someone that knows nothing about cycling?

Oh dear, I think that would rule out about 80% of the folks on here from posting

20.2, btw, and openly fatist...unless the chap/chappette in question is doing something about it in which case I strongly applaud them.

The Mechanic

I am not sure about medical facilities discriminating against anyone. If you bar fat people, what about mountain climbers. Their injuries could equally be claimed to be "self inflicted" as could motorcyclists, downhill skiers, and any number of other high risk sports. What about those injured whilst blind drunk? A can of worms IMHO

LeicesterLad

The Mechanic wrote:

I am not sure about medical facilities discriminating against anyone. If you bar fat people, what about mountain climbers. Their injuries could equally be claimed to be "self inflicted" as could motorcyclists, downhill skiers, and any number of other high risk sports. What about those injured whilst blind drunk? A can of worms IMHO

yeah you are probably right - unless you went down the insurance route like America. Just think (self inflicted) Fat people need telling - Its your own fault, sort it, stop moaning about how you get bullied and how its not your fault whilst systematically filling your mouth with Coke and Burgers.

daviesee

derbygrimpeur wrote:

Would you take cycling advice from someone that knows nothing about cycling? So why should people take health / weight loss advice from fatties (because they clearly know nothing about the subject).

I guess it depends on the advice.
The nurse that told me that I needed to lose weight was clearly giving good advice.
The fact that she didn't practice what she preached is irrelevant.

team47b

Doctors who smoke?

Qualified medically, but are they able to advise on anything that requires will power to break addiction?

I understand 'do as I say, not as I do' but would you be convinced that they were able to tell you something that was clearly unavailable to them personally?

symo

Bobbinogs wrote:

derbygrimpeur wrote:

Would you take cycling advice from someone that knows nothing about cycling?

Oh dear, I think that would rule out about 80% of the folks on here from posting

.... and Halfords!

Also I am 26.71, so therefore overweight, but quite a few people say I am looking so thin, which is wrong because I can see the fat around my belly despite losing 13kg since November. Mind you I am getting faster on climbs though.

team47b

Also I am 26.71, so therefore overweight, but quite a few people say I am looking so thin, which is wrong because I can see the fat around my belly despite losing 13kg since November. Mind you I am getting faster on climbs though.[/quote]

Well done for loosing 13kgs. (serious congrats)

Not missing a commuter bike are you. (can't miss an opportunity for a pi55 take)

Mad Roadie

its about time we did something about charging people for being fat - i am sick of their bodies oozing out front under the arm rest between seats - i pay for mine, all of it!!


and its bloody annoying when I get charged for my bike by the airline - yet my bike and body weight combined might not get close to the fat family individually - sell airline tickets by weight - you and your luggage.. that would sort them out!

d87heaven

Funny how when fat people are discussed a lot of advice (some may also say abuse) is dished out ...ie its your own fault/stop eating cake/stop eating lard/they are a drain on society etc etc
But the same level of advice is not dished out to anorexics or bulimics who mostly elicit sympathy and calls for medical help. Both harm their bodies due to diet and cost a lot to the nhs.
And just because you are thin or have a acceptable BMI doesn't mean you are healthy, ever seen the amount of fat you can accumulate around body organs?

And Amen to the airline charges thing.

symo

team47b wrote:

Also I am 26.71, so therefore overweight, but quite a few people say I am looking so thin, which is wrong because I can see the fat around my belly despite losing 13kg since November. Mind you I am getting faster on climbs though.

Well done for loosing 13kgs. (serious congrats)

Not missing a commuter bike are you. (can't miss an opportunity for a pi55 take) [/quote]

Yup, it was a Kona Dew Deluxe 2008
Then it was Genesis Day One

Now with added Kiron Scandium and Planet X Ti Road Pro (lynskey remix).

Loving the weight loss, just makes me want to lose more; which causes serious issues with my love of Beer and Crisps.