Fat Chance

HBR CASE STUDV

Fat Chance by Bronwyn Fryer and Julia Kirby
Sid has put his hat inthe ring for a client-serving position. He's got the skills andtheknowledgethe problem is, he's also obese. Can his weight be a factor in the decision?

B

ILL HouciAN was three pages deep into his spreadsheet when he felt the thud, thud, thud through the roughhewn floor of the hallway connecting sales and marketing with the desktop publishing group. "Here comes Sid," he thought. The Seattle offices of NMO Financial Services, charmingly situated in a quaint old building on a city wharf, were rather sensitive to the rattle of passing trucks-and to Sid Shawn's 400-pound footsteps. The door to Bill's office was open, so instead of just passing by, the obese man stopped and looked in. "How's it going, Sid?" Bill said. He noticed that Sid's face was a bit moist; he seemed short of breath.

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MAV 2005

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HBR CASE STUDY • Fat Chance

"Going great," Sid replied, smiling and giving NMO's VP of sales and marketing a little salute. "Hey, did Terry happen to speak with you?" "Uh, yes," Bill said. "She put your r^sxim^ and everything in the system. I'm supposed to be interviewing candidates over the next month or so." "Terrific," Sid said."Wel], I hope you'll keep me in mind."

his last review he'd made it clear he was ready for something new, so it shouldn't have surprised Bill when Sid applied for the job that had just opened up. Still, when Bill got the e-mail from HR about Sid's interest, he was taken aback. Sid had applied for a consultant relations job - where his success, and not a small portion of his compensation, would depend on impressing the

"Shoot."

"That really fat guy?...You're kidding! How can you even consider it? What kind of impression would he make?"
"Sure, Sid," Bill responded, tuming to stare at his computer screen. "I'll keep you posted." He's a good guy. Bill thought, as Sid continued down the corridor. You can't blame him for coming by to help his cause. Or maybe it was the deII tray that had lured Sid down this hallway? A vendor had treated the production group to lunch that day, and there were sandwiches and cookies left over for the rest of the staff. Almost as soon as that notion entered his head. Bill rebuked himself for it. He leaned back and sighed, not happy about the decision he would have to make. A ten-year veteran of NMO and a mainstay of the pensions marketing group, Sid had always been a good, consistent worker. As a product specialist, he was an invaluable resource to the salespeople who called on chief investment officers, treasurers, and others making the decisions about employee retirement benefits for their companies. Sid was also a resource to the consuitant relations managers, who tried to influence the people advising those buyers. At this point, Sid was so steeped in NMO's products that those colleagues had come to depend on him to outline their talking points and pitch books. Amiable and sometimes funny, Sid garnered above-average performance reviews and regular pay raises. But during polished professionals at major benefits consultancies. Of course, he'd impressed them many times before-or his work had while he remained behind the scenes. But now the consultants would encounter Sid face-to-face, and that seemed a different matter.

A Friend Weighs In
Bill pulled his suit jacket from the hanger on his door and took the stairs to his friend Chuck Bell's office on the fourth floor. Chuck, who headed up the 40i(k) sales group, was on the phone, so Bill lingered in the hallway until he heard the conversation end. Then he tapped a knuckle on the doorjamb. "Hey, Bill,"Chuck said."You don't look so good. Something you ate?" "Nah, I just need some fresh air. You wanna take a walk?" Chuck immediately stood up and grabbed his jacket, and they headed for the elevator. A rainstorm the previous day had cleared the sky, and the city seemed to sparkle. As the two executives walked together down the wharf, Bill felt less oppressed. A pelican swooped over them, soared into the sky, and then dove to spear the deep blue water in a flash of white spray. "Can I ask you something, Chuck?" Bill asked, watching the pelican reclaim the air with its wriggling silver prize.

"If you asked for a promotion and it was denied, would you leave?" Chuck's eyes widened. "You're not hankering after that EVP title..." " No, no," Bill insisted."This isn't about me. It's about a guy who works in my marketing department. He's angling for the consultant relations job that just opened up. He's a product specialist now-really good at it,too-but he's done it for years, and he wants something new. Consultant relations, thoughthat's a mtich more visible job. You know. It's got its own demands. I'm not sure he's ready for it." "Why can't you just try him out on the job? Can you get someone to work with him, show him the ropes?" "Well, there are...some issues," Bill said. "He has some health problems." "What kind of health problems?" "He's diabetic for one thing." Bill glanced at his friend. "See, he's overweight, and I think that's why-" "Wait a minute," Chuck said. "You're not talking about that really fat guy?" Bill's uncomfortable silence answered the question. Chuck threw back his head and laughed."You're kidding! Howcan you even consider it? What kind of impression would he make for NMO?" Bill suddenly felt protective of Sid. "Well, I don't know. He's actually quite personable." "Oh, no doubt,"Chuck said, grinning. "You'd probably have to take a crosstown bus to get on his bad side." Bill gave Chuck a sharp look. "He knows the products better than just about anyone else in my group." "So send him over to new product development," Chuck suggested. "Well, he isn't going to make more money there, is he?" Bill responded. "He'd quit for sure." "You think so, huh?" Chuck countered. "Who's gonna hire him?"

Growing Concerns
Back at his desk. Bill pulled out Sid's personnel file and began thumbing through it. His eyes fell on the

Bronwyn Fryer ([e-mail]) ar^d Julia Kirby ([e-mail]) are both senior editors at HBR.
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Fat Chance • HBR CASE STUDY

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HBR CASE STUDY • Fat Chance

He recalled that Sid had already been on the heavy side when he started at NMO but nothing like he was now. At first, people ribbed him about his wife's irresistible baking; he frequently came to work bearing trays of chocolate chip cot>kies to share with his colleagues. Sid couldn't resist the cookies either; within two years, he'd gained more than 40 pounds. At one poi nt he went on a crash

their dinner parties. That didn't seem to happen much any more. The workgroup dynamic cried out for some kind of intervention, however subtle. "Diversity training of some kind?" Bill wondered. The thought seemed absurd when he didn't even feel comfortable discussing Sid's weight with Sid himself. Bill hated feeling so helpless as a manager.

Sid was outgoing, always happy to strike up a conversation. But as oid-timers ieft the group and new hires entered, fewer and fewer peopie seemed to warm up to him. diet and lost a lot, but before long, he'd regained it and more. When his wife left him, Sid's weight ballooned. A couple of years ago. Bill noticed that Sid was calling in sick more. He hadn't exceeded his allowable days, but this was a business in which almost no one did. Eventually, Sid mentioned that he was battling diabetes, which accounted for at least some of the sick time. While preparing Sid's semiannual review. Bill wondered whether to broach the subject. The precedent he had in mind was the time he'd confronted Ron Darcy, an NMO salesman who clearly suffered from alcoholism. Darcy had made his numbers and then some, but there were signs that he was about to derail, personally and professionally. Bill liked to think he'd made a difference in that man's life, awkward as It was at the time. Still, when it came to Sid's review. Bill decided it was a conversation that could wait. Since then, even more troubling than Sid's health was the increasingly oblique approach people at work took toward him. Sid was outgoing, always happy to strike up a conversation. But as oldtimers left the group and new hires entered, fewer and fewer people seemed to warm up to him. Bill recalled the days when Sid, particularly after his divorce, went out with colleagues after work for drinks, and people invited him to 36 Just then he had a sickening thought: If Sid were passed over for the consultant relations job, could he sue the company for discrimination? He thought of picking up the phone and calling Terry in HR. Then he realized that merely asking the question made him sound like he had an issue with Sid's size - like maybe he was the problem. He stared at the receiver. Could he even bring up the subject?

The Right Fit?
A taxi was idling outside the office building, and Bill kept checking his watch. "If we don't get going now, we'll miss the plane," he thought. Just then, Sid stepped off the elevator and into the lobby, pulling a remarkably large suitcase and a smaller bag. "Let's go," Bill said, holding the door open. Sid wheeled his bags out to the cab. Bill climbed into the backseat behind the driver. When Sid eased into the seat on the passenger side. Bill felt the taxi sink. "Here's the agenda," Bill said, handing Sid a glossy pamphlet. "1figurebetween the two of us we can hit all the best sessions." As Sid leafed through the brochure. Bill looked out at the gray sky that threatened more rain. Feeling some pangs about having excluded Sid from such things in the past. Bill had invited

him along to a conference in San Francisco. Sid's enthusiasm was much greater than the event really deserved. Bill realized now that Sid might have seen the invitation as an encouraging sign that he was being considered for the job and that the trip was a kind of test run. "So Bill," Sid spoke up,"in your opinion, what is the key to succeeding at consultant relations?" Bill drew a deep breath. "Well, of course, you know it comes down to getting recommended for a manager search," he said. The consultants weren't in a position to engage NMO directly; they developed short lists for their clients, who in turn would send out requests for proposals. NMO's consultant relations managers were assigned to particular consulting firms and did whatever they could to get NMO's products on the consultajits' short lists- in fact, one key performance measure for those employees was the number of RFPs received from the companies their target consultants advised. The consultants were very smart about the industry - more so than most finance executives - so they couldn't be snowed. At the same time, they were only human. If they liked you, they might include you in the beauty contest even when your returns were only on a par with others'. "And that means you need to present the case for NMO's superior portfolio management-" "I'm pretty good at that," Sid interjected. "But it's just as much about the schmoozing," Bill pressed on."You have to build those relationships, and that means traveling-more than some people are comfortable with." "No worries there," Sid said a bit wistfully. "Bill, I'm very confident 1 can do the job. What do you think my chances are?" "Well, it's hard to say," Bill answered, not quite meeting Sid's eye. "There's a lot of talent on the street, what with the layoffs and mergers. Terry hasn't said anything about the number of candidates who've applied so far." "Are there any other internal candidates?" Sid asked.
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Fat Chance • HBR CASE STUDY

"Not as far as [ know," Bill said. The car in front of them came to a sudden stop, and the cabdriver stepped hard on his brakes. For a minute, everything was at a standstill. Then the traffic began to inch forward. Bill noted the time on the taxi's small dashboard clock. "I was just wondering," Sid continued, "because the company prefers hiring internal candidates over extemal ones if they're equally qualified, right?" "Charity begins at home," Bill quipped in response. A sign for the airport exit loomed. Grabbing at the chance to change the subject, Bill directed the cabdriver to Terminal B. As Bill pulled the bags from the trunk, he motioned toward the skycap station, where, fortunately, there wasn't much of a line. But now it appeared that a wheel had broken off of Sid's smaller bag. Sid decided to transfer some ofthe contents. He bent down uncomfortably, removed a pair of slippers, a sweater, and two books, and pressed them into the larger bag. Bill sourly wondered how so much stuff could be required for an overnight trip. Averting his glance. Bill studied the e-tickets his assistant had printed out; he noted Sid's two seat assignments. "Well, it's half past, and we've got half an hour to takeoftV he said, checking his watch again as Sid slowly stood up. "It's going to be tight, but we can make it if we hustle." They proceeded toward the security gate, and that's when Bill realized Sid was incapable of hustling. As Sid shuffled along, a child pointed and called out to his brother, "Whoa! That guy is huge!"At the screening station, Sid bent down again to untie and remove his shoes-which turned out to be another very slow process. People stared; Bill felt embarrassed. "Stuff Uke this must happen to him every day," he thought. As Sid struggled to put his shoes back on, an announcement came over the public-address system: "Last call for passengers Bill Houglan and Sidney Shawn. Please proceed to Gate 3A." "I'm gonna run for it," Bill told Sid. "I'll let them know you're coming. Please, Sid, hurry up."
MAY 2005

Breakfast for Three
If Bill had any doubts about how people perceive an obese person, they were dispelled on this trip. On the plane, other passengers were visibly relieved when Sid didn't head for their row. When Bill and Sid walked past the bar in the hotel lobby, two women stared and then dissolved into giggles. At the registration desk, the bellman put on a kind of waxen expression and pretended not to notice Sid's size. The conference registrar, looking up from her list, blinked in astonishment, and then tried to cover up by being overly solicitous. "Just as bad," Bill thought. "He can certainly rely on the unkindness of strangers." During the late-afternoon break at the conference. Bill checked in with Mina, his assistant. "Terry called earlier," she told him."She'd like you to get back to her right away." Bill had his assistant transfer the call. "1 just wanted to fill you in on the status of your search," Terry said. "We've got a woman withfiveyears'experience on the consulting side and a CFA. She looks good, and she's in our salary range. The thing is, she's close to an offer with Quality Funds. We should get her in fast if you want to talk to her." "Do," Bill said. "Anyone else? How about internal candidates?" "Just Sid so far," Terry said. "Are you considering him?" Bill felt put on the spot. He wasn't sure how to answer but chose to reply in the affirmative."I'd like to see if we can pull in more people, though," he added quickly. "Definitely leave the posting on the intranet. Let's see what we get. Meanwhile, if you give Mina a call, I'm sure she can find room on my schedule for that candidate." After he hung up. Bill thought for a while about how it would affect Sid if he didn't get the job. Maybe that would be best all around. Even with their occasional barbs and social neglect, people in the office were fairly casual and comfortable with nonconformity. Perhaps it wasn't the ultimate in heterogeneity, but the workforce at NMO had its diverse elements.

By contrast. Bill could so clearly picture the challenges Sid faced on the outside; in fact, he'd glimpsed it at this very conference. In the hallway outside the ballroom, Angela Betz, a star consultant with Tallan Associates, was holding court as representatives ffom three different fund managers clustered around her, nodding at her comments and trying to score conversational points. There was no denying there was a certain cut to their jib; any one of them could pass for a nightly news anchor. Would Sid be one ofthe people she'd open up to? If not, the RFPs would go elsewhere. And if the numbers didn't add up, he'd fail in the job. Where would he go then? During the group dinner that night, Bill noted that Sid fell into a conversation with a man on his right. Occasionally, the man laughed out loud in response to something Sid said, and Sid seemed pleased. Bill felt less uneasy, remembering how Sid had tumed on the charm in his early days at the company. "At least he's having a good time," he thought. About an hour later. Bill was in his room checking his messages when the phone rang. It was Sid. "Guess what I found out? That fellow sitting next to me at dinner-his name is Dick Huff. Tums out he's with the Ohio Teachers Pension, and he says they're disgusted with their retums lately. We hit it off really well. Naturally I worked in a few comments about our equity products. 1 told him you were here and that I'd make an introduction." Bill was impressed. "Great, Sid. You should have gone ahead and arranged to meet for breakfast-" "Well,that*s why I'm calling,"Sid said. "I've got his card. I can ring him now, if you want to set a time." Smart guy. Bill thought. He's trying hard to show me he can do the job. And who knows? Maybe with a fresh start in a new position, Sid would make a serious effort to lose some pounds.
Should Sid's weight be a factor in Bill's decision? • Four commentators offer expert advice,

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H B R CASE C O M M E N T A R Y • Should Sid's Weight Be a Factor in Bill's Decision?

I

Howard Weyers (howardw @weyco.com) is the president and CEO of Weyco, an employee-benefits administration firm in Okemos, Michigan.

f NMO Financial Services has HR policies that force it to ignore Sid Shawn's habits, then its problems are much bigger than Sid. Too many companies implicitly enable the unhealthy lifestyles ofthe minority - those who smoke, drink to excess, or otherwise neglect or abuse themselves-and they do so to their detriment. The real cost here will occur when NMO pays its insurance premiums. Why not, instead, consider rewarding the majority of employees who take a proactive approach to their own health? If NMO offered its employees incentives to adopt healthier lifestyles, it might not be facing this dilemma. More generally, I predict the company would end up paying considerably less for insurance in the long run. But such incentive programs are rare-which goes a long way toward explaining why health care costs in the United States are so out of control. At my company, we decided to grapple with the problem of employee well-being head-on. We provide healthy foods in our vending machines,as well as health counseling by on-staff medical professionals. We

vate employer, there was no law in Michigan that prevented us from screening out tobacco use at the office and during the hiring process, just as employers routinely screen out drug use through testing. As a first step, we banned tobacco from the corporate property. The following year, we instituted voluntary testing, accompanied by classes and programs designed to assist smokers in quitting. This year, we instituted mandatory testing for tobacco use. Controversy arose when four employees decided they did not want to take the test, and quit. But we were within our legal rights to screen out the smokers. Such 5teps may sound draconian, but they get results. By making employees responsible for their own health, and by establishing support programs for them, we have both lowered and stabilized our health care costs. Our insurance costs per employee-including medical and dental care, and prescription and vision coverage - average $300 per month compared with the state average of $500. Our health care costs have remained level for 27 months in a row.

Too many companies implicitly enable the unhealthy lifestyles of the minority-and they do so to their detriment. have also instituted several programs designed to urge employees to live healthily. While most of these programs are voluntary, some are not. One voluntary program is the Lifestyle Challenge: We reward employees who improve their dietary habits and participate in regular exercise and fitness programs. Participants can start off by earning $45 a month toward a health club membership and up to $65 a month for improving their overall health, which we check every six months. We alsooffera broad buffet of support programs, from seminars on selecting and preparing meals to counseling on the emotional causes of eating disorders. Our involuntary programs are more controversial. In 2003, we learned that, as a priFocusing on the health of our employees helps our business in other ways. As an employee-benefits administration firm, we advise our clients about the costs and benefits of various health care packages. Most of our clients are afraid to even talk about their employees' health. It helps when they see just how willing we are to walk the walk. NMO's leadershipshould understand that it's possible to work directly with employees rather than simply allow them to fend for themselves and then complain about cost control. By pushing HR to offer carrots (in the form of positive programs) and use sticks where necessary. Bill Houglan can help Sid and other employees - and his company's bottom line.

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HBR CASE COMMENTARY • Should SJd's Weight Be a Factor in Bill's Decision?

S

hould weight be a factor in Bill's decision? Too late: It already is. And the problem here is not Sid and his quest for a promotion; the problem is that the company openly tolerates discrimination. The work group ostracizes Sid, and Chuck Bell's joke says it all, Sid is a valuable worker who has demonstrated that he can connect with people as the newjob requires. Like anyone else, he deserves the opportunity to show what he can

signed to help people with disabilities "for their own good." Then there's the public relations issue. If Sid chose, he could start a blog or go to the press with his story, inflicting some public harm on his former employer and possibly expanding legal protections in hlscity. When 24 Hour Fitness, a health club chain, put up a billboard in San Francisco that featured a space alien and the caption, "When they come, they'll eat the fat ones first," activists

Bill should follow his instincts regarding diversity training and push for it companywide. do. He's smart, affable, and can easily establish rapport with a prospective business partner over dinner. He does a great deal to overcome the prejudice and hostility he faces. He's a good guy; he deserves a chance to learn the ropes and should be given reasonable support in trying the new position. If Sid is passed over on the basis of his physical appearanceorhisdisabiiity,all kinds of negative effects could follow. First, given his depth of product knowledge, Sid would be hard to replace. Study after study has demonstrated that it is very expensive to locate, hire, and train new workers; on average, replacing someone costs roughly one-and-a-half times the departing person's salary. Sid could also become a real liability if he decides to approach a competitor with his market knowledge and skills. Second, if Bill allows Sid's weight to be a factor in the promotion decision, he exposes the company to significant legal liability. Sid may qualify for disabil ity based on his weight and mobility issues. Sid's diabetes medications may contribute to his weight. Even if Sid is not disabled according to the legal definition, Bill perceives him to have health problems, so Sid may find redress for bias under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar state and local laws. Such regulations forbid outright exclusion, architectural and transportation barriers, and overprotective rules and policies derallied in full force. Holding "Eat Me!" signs, protesters garnered international coverage. The pubiic backlash resulted in the adoption o f a citywide law outlawing discrimination on the basis of weight. San Francisco is now one of at least four places in the United States with such laws on the books-the others are the state of Michigan; Washington. DC; and Santa Cruz, California. Given the numberoffat people in the United States and the widespread hostility against them, I predict we'll see more such legislation. In short, the risks of continued discrimination simply aren't worth it. Biil should follow his instincts regarding diversity training and push for it companywide. If he had ordered training for Sid's work group when he first noticed any ostracism (whether it was because of Sid's weight or his age), Sid might not even have opted for the new position. Now the onus is on Bill and other executives at NMO to step in and address the prejudice issue squarely. Promoting Sid would be a good, highly visible place for Bill to start. He should stand up for diversity by addressing discrimination in all its forms, including sex, race, sexual orientation,gender identity and gender presentation, color, religion.disability, weight, and age. And the company's HR policies should obviously be honed accordingly; banning discrimination, if nothing else, is simply good business practice.

Sondra Solovay (sondra [e-mail]) is a California attorney and a diversity trainer focusing on weight-related issues. She is the author of Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight-Based Discrimination (Prometheus Books,
2000).

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HBR CASE C O M M E N T A R Y • Should Sid's Weight Be a Factor in Bill's Decision?

E

Mark V. Roehling (roehling @msu.edu) is an associate professor at Michigan State University's School of Labor and Industrial Relations in East Lansing. His research hasfocusedon issues of obesity in the workplace.

mployees in most American jurisdictions have very few legal protections against weight-based discrimination. Unlike race, age, and gender, body weight is not a protected characteristic under U.S. fairemployment laws. Employers are legally free to discriminate on the basis of weight-so long as they are not dealing with those very few overweight individuals who qualify as disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Actor applying more stringent standards to one legally protected group than to another (for instance, women versus men).

The principle of equal opportunity in employment creates an ethical obligation for employers to ensure that their decisions are based on valid, work-related information about employees rather than on stereotypical inferences. This means that,first,before Sid's weight is taken into account, the relationship between employee weight and successful performance ofthe consultant relations job should be established by a thorough job or competency analysis- not by Bill's subjective assessment. Second, given that past behaviors are generally the best predictors of future behaviors, historical indications that The ADA, which addresses discrimination based on both actual and perceived disabili- Sid can do the job should be given greater ties, provides some legal protection - but emphasis than Bili's fears about clients' posthe courts and the U.S. Equal Employment sible prejudices. Third, NMO must try to Opportunity Commission have emphasized identify and employ other tools with demthat ADA coverage of obesity will be a "rare onstrated validity in predicting successful performance in the consultant relations Job occurrence." (for example, tests of relevant personality To establish an actual disability, an employee must prove two things: that he or she traits,jobknowledge,or interpersonal skills). is either morbidly obese (100% over ideal Of course, the best test would be to allow Sid weight) or suffering from obesity that is a to perform the job temporarily.

It is legally permissible for Bill to take Sid's weight into account. But the question remains: Is it ethical? symptom ofa physiological condition; and that as a result of this condition, he or she is substantially limited in one or more major life activities. At 400 pounds,Sid maybe morbidly obese but, as I'm sure he would agree, the limitations he experiences don't come close to constituting an actual disability. There is a danger that by linking Sid's medical condition (diabetes) with his weight during discussions of Sid's possible promotion, Bill maycreate a perce;Ved disability that extends the ADA's protection to Sid. But given that Bill's primary concern is that clients won't want to socialize with Sid, not that Sid is truly disabled, it's doubtful that Sid would be able to establish a claim of perceived disability. It appears, then, that it is legally permissible for Bill to take Sid's weight into account But the question remains; Is it ethical? All of this Is simply a matter of sound, scientific practice-relying on stereotypes unnecessarily risks the introduction of systematic bias or error in HR decision processes. Given the time and expense involved in attracting, training, and retaining qualified employees; NMO's policy of favoring internal candidates; and Sid's tenure and success todate-and unless there is an external candidate whose qualifications are clearly superior-denying Sid this opportunity could be viewed as HR malpractice. How could his loyalty and motivation not be negatively affected if he is passed over, especially if he determines that it was due to concerns about hisweight? Bill's friend. Chuck, dismissed this concern, asking, "Who's gonna hire him?" Maybe no one, but having a disgruntled Sid stay at N MO may be a worse outcome. Either way, NMO loses a valuable contributor.

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H B R CASE C O M M E N T A R Y • Should Sid's Weigtit Be a Factor in Bill's Decision?

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rejudice against fat people is the last socially acceptable prejudice in what I will call "polite society," for lack of a better term. Chuctc and his real-life counterparts feel comfortable making fat jokes, but they migtit be more circumspect If Sid's problem were concealed - if he suffered from, say,

ashamed years later to think it, let alone write it. I did not have the confidence, selfassurance, or strength of character to do what I should have done and say what 1 should have said, which was: This is my sister. I love her. She is an absolutely amazing person, and what she looks like is not who she is.

Bill is afraid of being judged. He's worried that, if he chooses Sid, somehow Sid's obesity will reflect poorly on him. a hearing impairment or bipolar disorder, a condition that would surely affect his job performance more than his weight would. Sid is perfectlycapable-even excellent-but he cannot conceal the fact that he is fat. If Sid were not fat, the decision would have been a no-brainer. Bill knows in his heart that Sid isthe most qualified applicant because of his in-house status, proactive nature,and successful performance. In this situation, Bill's own Insecurities may take a massive toll on another person's life. He's inclined to discount Sid under the pretense that the new job woutd be too difficult In this case, Bill is afraid of being judged. He's worried that, if he chooses Sid, somehow Sid's obesity will reflect poorty on him, that others will think less of him. Is Bill neurotic,paranoid,asniveling wimp? Maybe, but he's also right in terms of his fears. Like Bill, I worried that being linked In public with my sister, who became obese as a teenager and remained so well into adulthood, would be social suicide. I didn't want to be seen at the grocery store with my sister bythe boy I hoped would asl