Legislating Fatness: Current Debates in Weight Discrimination, Policy, and Law

Discrimination based on body weight is an underestimated and widespread problem. This volume focuses on where and how fatness and law intersect, discussing current anti-discrimination protections related to fatness, the ongoing debate around the introduction of new anti-discrimination categories, national and international principles that argue against the introduction of legal protection of fatness, the question whether fatness should be considered a disability, and weight stigma in legal practice. It also considers the legal implications of anti-discrimination legislation for fatness through an intersectional lens.

Format: Hardback
Length: 112 pages
Publication date: 28 July 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Discrimination based on body weight is a significant and pervasive issue that often goes unnoticed. While there is no single national law worldwide that explicitly prohibits weight discrimination, numerous laws and policies exist that perpetuate or at least reflect the prevailing societal weight stigma. This volume delves into the intersection of fatness and law, exploring current anti-discrimination protections related to fatness, the ongoing debate surrounding the introduction of new anti-discrimination categories, national and international principles that seem to argue against the legal protection of fatness, the question of whether fatness should be considered a disability, and weight stigma in legal practice. Drawing from a fat studies perspective, this book also examines the legal implications of anti-discrimination legislation for fatness through an intersectional lens, recognizing how fatness often overlaps with other marginalized identities such as race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status.

This book is intended for both professional and lay audiences, providing an introduction to the legal aspects of weightism and offering practical solutions for legislative practice. It will be an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to enhance their weight sensitivity in their legal work.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Fat Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Body Weight and Society.

Weight: 390g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032230368