Yahoo Sports N.Y.C. Mayor Signs Ordinance Outlawing Discrimination Based on Body Size — Including Weight, Height
“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,” Mayor Eric Adams said
New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed an ordinance Friday outlawing discrimination based on body size, which includes weight and height.
“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,” Adams said during a signing ceremony at City Hall, according to ABC News.
He added that the legislation "will help level the playing field for all New Yorkers, create more inclusive workplaces and living environments, and protect against discrimination."
Related: Lizzo Says 'Fat People Are Still Getting the Short End' of the Body Positivity Movement
ABC News reported that the ordinance — which will take effect Nov. 22 — excludes cases in which a person’s height or weight makes them unable to perform required aspects of a job.
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However, some business figureheads, including Kathy Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, have criticized the bill for its burdensome potential.
“The extent of the impact and cost of this legislation has not been fully considered,” Wylde said in a statement, per ABC News.
Tigress Osborn, the chair of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, said the law “will ripple across the globe” and show that "discrimination against people based on their body size is wrong and is something that we can change,” according to ABC News.
Before the Big Apple, the outlet reported that San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Madison, Wisconsin, have outlawed discrimination based on body size and physical appearance. New Jersey and Massachusetts have also introduced legislation banning discrimination based on weight and height.
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