The Boston Globe explores discrimination in the workplace and school that occurs due to weight, height, appearance, and other body image issues:
In a recently released Newsweek poll, over half of corporate hiring managers believed that unattractive but qualified employees would have a harder time getting hired, and two thirds thought looks would affect performance ratings. When asked to rate nine qualities relevant in employment decisions, appearance came in third in importance, below experience and confidence, but above educational credentials.
Other studies similarly confirm the pervasiveness of the “beauty bias.” About the same proportion of employees report discrimination based on appearance as discrimination based on race and sex. And economists have quantified a substantial “plainness penalty” even in occupations like law, where looks generally bear no relationship to competence. In educational settings, a cottage industry of studies have shown that teachers give lower grades to unattractive students; students give lower course evaluations to unattractive teachers.
Discrimination based on appearance feeds stereotypes, is often gender biased, and infringes on cultural and religious expression as well as rights to privacy.
h/t to Byron Rushing.