NEW YORK – People who are overweight, tall, or short in New York City will now be protected from discrimination based on those characteristics under a bill Mayor Eric Adams signed into law yesterday – a measure advocates hope will prompt other cities to follow suit.
The law, which was sponsored by city councilman Shaun Abreu, bans weight and height discrimination in the workplace, in housing, and in access to public accommodations.
“It shouldn’t matter how tall you are or how much you weigh,” Adams was reported as saying by German news agency dpa.
“When you’re looking for a job, or you’re out in our town, or trying to get some form of accommodation or apartment to rent, you should not be treated differently.”
The law goes into effect in six months, and builds on measures already in place that protect against discrimination based on race, creed, colour, national origin, and gender, among several other protected characteristics.
Tigress Osborn, who heads the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, said yesterday she is “thrilled” with the city for the example it is setting and that the new law “will ripple across the globe”.
“We can’t legislate attitudes, but we can do everything that’s in our power to ensure that people are treated equally,” she said during the bill signing in the city hall’s Blue Room.
Discrimination based on weight is already prohibited in Washington DC, Michigan, and the state of Washington. Similar legislation is under consideration in New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Abreu, a Democrat who represents parts of Upper Manhattan, called the city’s new law a “monumental advancement for civil rights” and said he hopes other lawmakers take notice.
“While our laws are only now catching up to our culture, it is a victory that I hope will cause more cities, states, and one day the federal government to follow suit,” he said.
“No one should have to live with the silent burden of size discrimination.”
When Abreu first introduced his bill, it was accompanied by separate legislation that would have prohibited discrimination against people with tattoos. But that bill did not get a vote by the full council. – Bernama, May 27, 2023
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