I don’t believe the obese should be a protected class, just like I don’t think people with tatoos should receive special protection. It’s a choice made during your life to become obese. There are things you can do about it. Still, there are times where the discrimination is just blatant. While it’s not against the law, it’s disgusting.
Ultimate Bride is a bridal shop in St. Louis. A recent Bill McClellan article laid out a situation that happened that may show discrimination.
The article relates the story of Tia Roth, an overweight woman from St. Louis. Her sister was getting married and Tia was asked to be the maid of honor. A great time for all. Tia went to Ultimate Bride, worked with the sales associate to pick out a dress and waited for it to arrive.
When it arrived it wasn’t the dress she ordered. It was different to the point where it was noticeable. She was told:
The manager didn’t think the other one would work for somebody of her size.
No phone call prior. No discussion. Maybe Tia was planning to lose weight between the time she ordered the dress and the wedding. Maybe Tia lives in a fantasyland. Who cares? She ordered a specific dress and the store took it upon themselves to switch it due to her weight.
Amazing.
After the wedding, Tia called the store and asked for 1/2 her money back. Since she wore the dress to the wedding she thought it was fair. The owner of the store offered $25. The dress cost $230.50. When McClellan called Ultimate Bride offered $75.00.
Amazing.
Here is Ultimate Bride, being offered the chance to make things right, and they take the wrong choice. That’s nuts. Do they not know the internet has a long memory? That sites exist to point out consumer ripoffs? How about the fact they were going to be featured in the only paper in St. Louis?
Again, Amazing.
Was it really worth $155.50 for all the bad press? Was it worth discriminating against a heavy person?