New York City Mayor Eric Adams Signs Legislation Banning Discrimination Based on Body Size
Key Highlights :
New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed a groundbreaking piece of legislation on Friday, adding weight and height to the list of protected categories such as race, sex, and religion, and prohibiting discrimination based on body size. This move will create a more inclusive society in the city, and is a step in the right direction for the nation and the world.
The ordinance, which was passed by the City Council this month, will take effect in 180 days, on November 22nd. Adams was joined by other elected officials and fat-acceptance advocates at a City Hall bill-signing ceremony, where he said that “we all deserve the same access to employment, housing and public accommodation, regardless of our appearance, and it shouldn’t matter how tall you are or how much you weigh.”
The legislation was met with some opposition from business leaders, who argued that compliance could become an onerous burden. Kathy Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, said in a statement that “the extent of the impact and cost of this legislation has not been fully considered.” However, the legislation is necessary to ensure that everyone is treated equally, regardless of their physical appearance.
Several other cities in the U.S. have already adopted similar legislation, including San Francisco, Washington D.C., and Madison, Wisconsin. Legislation to ban weight and height discrimination has also been introduced in states such as New Jersey and Massachusetts. Tigress Osborn, the chair of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, said New York City’s ordinance should serve as a model for the nation and the world.
Osborn stated that the city’s adoption of the new ordinance “will ripple across the globe” and demonstrate that “discrimination against people based on their body size is wrong and is something that we can change.” This legislation is an important step in creating a more inclusive society and ensuring that everyone is treated equally, regardless of their physical appearance.
