"Working to End Discrimination...

...against people who are heavier than average." This is the mission of the first organization I'd like to highlight: the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination. They "act as consumer advocates for larger people, especially in the areas of medical treatment, job discrimination, and media images." They believe, as do I, that (and I quote):

• All people, no matter what their weight, deserve equal treatment in the job market and on the job.
• All people, no matter what their weight, deserve competent and respectful treatment by health care professionals.
• Prejudice based on weight is no different from, and no better than, prejudice based on skin color, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.
• The media's portrayal of fat people is often inappropriately negative, and that the media promotes people's fear of fat and obsession with thinness.
• Weight diversity is a positive goal. Our dream is a world in which a person's life, health, well-being, and happiness is unrelated to that person's weight.
• Happy, attractive, capable people come in all shapes and sizes.
• Each of us has the responsibility to stand up for ourselves and for people around us who may suffer weight discrimination.
• Sizism and weight bigotry will end when people of all sizes refuse to allow it to continue.

Also, their web site provides some specific ways that individuals can work to change attitudes about people of size.

I hope you'll join me in taking steps to end discrimination based on size and weight.