Weight Bias In Today's Society

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In today’s society, we are constantly being shown different messages about the ways that we should look and act. One example of these messages, which I feel is most important to look at and understand, is weight and they media’s influence on the way our society views this issue. When looking in the media it is easy to see that our society values its idea that being thin is beautiful and that everyone should look this way. Most people that are seen on TV and in magazines are very thin. Being thin is what our society considers beautiful and appealing. This is considered to be the norm in our society, but it is important to understand that most people in our world are not a size zero. Falling outside of these norms can have many negative affects …show more content…

Some of these stereotypes are that the person that is overweight is lazy, they eat unhealthy, or that it is their fault. In our society, individuals that are overweight are also looked at as sloppy, irresponsible and often less capable. These stereotypes are one of the main reasons that weight bias has become such a problem in today’s society. These social stigmas and stereotypes stem from society’s willingness to label others based on what they see rather than taking the time and getting to know someone for who they are not what they look like. These stigmas and stereotypes also come from the medias representation of weight. They send the message that fat is “bad” and thin is …show more content…

Often individuals that are overweight will experience negative reactions and are even discriminated against when seeking medical attention. They will often be made uncomfortable when at the doctor and sometimes they will even be denied health care services. A study found that a number of doctors had a bias against their obese patients, considering them difficult to work with and unattractive (Cohen, 2012). Being overweight can also impact an individual when it comes to employment and the workplace. It can often make employers view you differently and question your abilities. Studies show that 78% of managers responsible for recruiting staff will not employ an obese person if there is a thinner, equally qualified candidate (“Workplace ‘Weightism..,” 2015). Many overweight people also experience weightism when it comes to promotions, wages and other aspects of their

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