Large Size People May Be Discriminated Against, but there is Help for Them.

Miriam Berg, President of the not-for-profit Council on Size & Weight Discrimination, discusses how people of size can stand up for their rights and get the treatment they deserve in an interview this week on the "Size Matters, Too" radio show with Veronica Cook-Euell.

(PRWEB) February 6, 2005 -- If youre tired of getting that look" from prospective bosses, or if you have been passed over, harassed, or fired because of your weight, there is help for you. Miriam Berg, President of the not-for-profit Council on Size & Weight Discrimination, will discuss weight discrimination and what you can do about it on an interview entitled Aint No Stoppin Us Now! Part I on the "Size Matters, Too" radio show.

Beginning the week of February 6th you can hear Berg speak with Veronica Cook-Euell, the Velvet Voice of Size Diversity, on WCRS Radio, Akron, Ohio, at http://sizematterstoo.com/. The following week, starting February 13th, a second interview, Aint No Stoppin Us Now Part II with Berg will air, this one concentrating on the many resources available on and off line.

The Council on Size & Weight Discrimination is a not-for-profit group that works to change people's attitudes about weight. They act as consumer advocates for large-size people, especially in medical treatment, job discrimination, and media images. Our basic position," says President Miriam Berg, is that all people, no matter what their weight, deserve equal treatment in the job market and on the job. Job qualifications and job performance should be judged on their own merits. If a person does (or will do) a job well, it should not matter how much they weigh. People should be judged on their actions, not on their appearance."

The Council has tips for dealing with size prejudice in job interviews. Berg will describe how one job applicant turned her weight into an asset and landed an important job.

If a person is threatened with being fired and suspects that the reason is weight discrimination, Berg has suggestions for what to do. There are many ways to deal with job discrimination, including talking with the human relations department or union, talking directly to supervisors, taking legal action, or seeking publicity to let the public know about the injustice. Different situations call for different measures, but the central principle is not to take discrimination lying down, but rather to stand up for your rights.

In addition to job discrimination, the Council handles complaints of harassment and poor treatment in consumer environments, social situations, and especially in health care. According to Berg, All people, no matter what their weight, deserve respectful treatment by health care professionals. People should be treated for their ailments. Doctors should not automatically prescribe weight loss unless there is a specific medical reason, and unless the physician can prescribe a weight-loss method that is proven safe, effective and permanent."

The Council also does public education, through its website (www.cswd.org) and through public speaking, to counter the false stereotypes of large people. The media's portrayal of plus-size people is often unfairly negative, and the media promotes people's fear of fat and obsession with thinness. Size diversity is a positive aspect of our culture. People come in all shapes and sizes, and that is one of the wonderful things about our world."

Each of us has the responsibility to stand up for ourselves and for people around us who may suffer weight discrimination. Individuals can make a difference by freeing themselves from weight obsession, by deciding not to judge others based on their weight, and by taking a stand against discrimination based on size, weight, and shape, says Berg.

In the second interview, heard on the Size Matters Too website starting February 12th, Miriam Berg, President of the Council on Size & Weight Discrimination, will describe some of the many resources that are available on size acceptance. Everything from political action groups to counselors on body image can be found if you know where to look.

There are websites for groups that promote activism on weight prejudice, and others that provide education on issues of body image. Some are aimed at younger women, kids, or teenagers, including several e-zines. There are a growing number of professional counselors who use the non-dieting, self-acceptance, health-at-every-size approach, and many of them offer either groups, individual counseling, videos, or free information on their websites.

More and more people are disillusioned with dieting and the obsession to be thin," says Berg. People are looking for ways to be happy and healthy without the extreme ups and downs of the diet roller coaster. Fortunately, the resources are out there, and people can find them. The Health At Every Size movement has made it possible for people to find true health and well-being at whatever size they happen to be. Since they havent come up with a diet yet that actually works and keeps the weight off, it makes a lot more sense to use this new approach: Eat nutritious food, get plenty of physical activity, insist on respectful health care, fill your life with enjoyable activities, and celebrate the uniqueness of your self and your body."

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