Those who are overweight and perceived to be unattractive have more difficulties in job interviews and promotions, a new study by the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences has revealed.
Attractive people are assumed to have positive social traits and greater intelligence, making them more likely to secure better job packages, authors of the study Carl Senior and Michael J.R. Butler said.
“This is known as the ‘halo effect’ and it has previously been shown to affect the outcome of job interviews,” the researchers said.
It has also been claimed those who eventually shed the kilos will build more wealth and greater job prospects.
Jay Zagorsky from Ohio State University’s Centre For Human Resource Research has said those who had dramatic changes in weight had a similar change in wealth.
“For example white women who dropped their body mass index by 10 points saw a wealth increase of $11,880,” Mr Zagorsky said.
Indeed the plus-sized citizens of the world have it so bad that the government in Massachusetts has begun action to amend the Massachusetts General Laws c. 151B to protect those who are discriminated due to their weight and height.
The compositionally challenged have become the size 16 butt of all jokes as their exclusion from society has hampered their ability to enjoy all aspects of life.
‘Big-boned’ workers will therefore never reach the top of their career. In fact the only top they’ll ever be familiar with is their own muffin top belly.
Even hobbies which allow us to escape the daily grind of life are affected. Of course most hobbies require physical involvement which no one expects from these people anyway. However, even simple hobbies such as playing computer games prove to be troublesome especially if one has difficulty pressing just one button at the time.
For example if you take everyday acts such as talking and flirting and whack on a few kilos, disgruntled hair and a weathered face; you get Belinda Neal and John Della Bosca’s Iguana scandal. Suddenly a simple chitchat becomes the unleashing of two wild beasts- and I’m not talking about the Williams sisters.
Humankind’s favourite pastime, sex, also becomes problematic due to Kevin Rudd’s alcopops tax. Now there is no excuse for sleeping with fat people, because it costs more.
In Australia, overweight and obese residents are almost the majority, making up nine out of the total population of 21 million. In this sense, they are like Australia’s public transport system. While most Australians hate them, we acknowledge their existence despite their failures because there is no other alternative. They cost taxpayers millions every year.
Both the public transport system and large Australians have made international headlines. On one hand, Secretary-General of ERG Hans Rat told the World Cities Summit in Singapore last week that Australia’s public transport system established a “very bad reputation” internationally. On the other hand, Australia topped the list as the world’s fattest nation per capita.
But perhaps we have been too cruel to our heavier counterparts. 2day FM seemingly crossed the line when Hot 30 show hosts hid prizes inside a ‘prize pig’, an overweight woman. Listeners were invited to come into the studio and find the hidden prizes. The entire ordeal is available to view on the station’s website.
We need to realise there may be benefits to ugly people. If laughter is the best medicine, Kirstie Alley’s body can probably cure cancer.
There needs to be a new way of thinking. We need to change the way we see fat people before our lives are run like amusement parks. Sooner or later entry into the world of social acceptance will be like kids trying to get on rollercoaster rides. Gone are the “You must be this tall” signs and in with the “40 Kg max and 6 ft min” signs.
In this world, size fours will be allowed in extenuating circumstances. However, a waiver of a lemon-juice-and-pepper-only diet will need to be signed.
