Name(s):
Active prejudice towards fat people
Fatism
Sizeism
Weightism
Prejudicial treatment of the overweight
Discrimination against the obese
Negative attitudes toward obesity
Fat discrimination
Nature
Overweight people may encounter discrimination based on standards of weight established arbitrarily by the fashion, entertainment and health industries. They may be publicly humiliated, refused social opportunities, or blamed for perceived excesses. They are less likely to be hired, particularly for jobs with high visibility: employers believe fat people not only reflect badly on an organization's image but they are also less likely to be good at their jobs. It is generally assumed, although with little scientific basis, that overweight people lack self-control and willpower, and that they are more frequently ill.
Counter-claim
While there may be public prejudice against overweight people, their needs have been taken into account commercially by the ever-increasing seat size in cars, public transport vehicles and planes.