New research reveals that even women at healthy weights experience job discrimination.
If you’re a woman with a body and a job where you’re visible to the public, brace yourself for some frustrating news. It’s long been established that overweight or obese individuals face discrimination in the workplace, with those who are obese earning between 1-6% less than their slimmer colleagues. To make matters worse, obese women earn even less than their male counterparts—because, of course, that’s how the world operates. (Let’s be real; having a penis is essentially the ultimate accessory for weight discrimination.)
However, a recent study published in the journal Plos One has shed light on an alarming trend: even slight variations in weight among women with healthy Body Mass Indexes (BMIs) can influence their perceived employability. Researchers explored how subtle size differences impact hiring decisions for “front stage” roles (like waitressing or sales) compared to “backstage” jobs (think kitchen staff or cleaning). By altering photos of men and women to reflect various BMIs, they asked participants—who were told that all subjects were equally qualified—how likely they would be to hire the individuals in the images. The findings were telling: “Women within the normal BMI range appear to suffer greater weight-based bias than men who are overtly overweight.”
According to a press release from the University of Strathclyde, which conducted the study, “These results affirm that even a marginal increase in weight appears to have a negative impact on the hireability ratings of female job applicants. For women, it seems, even seemingly minute changes to the shape, size, and weight of the body are important.” So, in a nutshell, a few extra pounds can make women less appealing to employers compared to their heavier male colleagues. “Sure, Derek may outweigh Lisa by fifty pounds, but you have to admit, that extra weight really works for him.”
This is not only frustrating but downright alarming, especially considering that the average American woman is around a size 14. And let’s face it: fat discrimination is only illegal in a handful of places like Michigan and certain cities across the U.S.—which leaves the rest of us vulnerable to being fired for simply gaining a few pounds. Fat Derek, however, gets to keep cashing his paycheck.
Women have long faced unfair scrutiny regarding their bodies, held to unrealistic standards that are out of touch with reality. A survey by Refinery29 revealed that 70% of millennial women said they wouldn’t gain ten pounds for a promotion. Initially, I thought, “Come on, millennial women!” But, with findings like these, it seems they’d still find themselves in trouble. After all, there’s a big difference between being a 125-pound store manager and a 135-pound one. No one wants to buy capris from a size 8, right?
These days, there’s chatter about how feminism is no longer necessary since women have achieved equality. But if a woman who’s ten pounds lighter gets hired over an equally qualified candidate while Fat Derek moves up the ladder to head cashier, then I’d like to take that notion, wrap it in a blanket, and call it Bullshit. We still have a long way to go in advocating for equal rights, as women are still judged based on their size, and it appears the standards are more unrealistic than ever.
For more insight into related topics, check out our posts on home insemination and related resources—because we’re all about empowering women, no matter the context.
Summary
A recent study shows that even slight weight differences among women with healthy BMIs can negatively impact their hiring prospects compared to men, highlighting ongoing discrimination in the workplace based on weight. This issue underscores the need for continued advocacy for women’s rights, as societal standards remain frustratingly unrealistic.