Discrimination
Not all discrimination is prohibited by law. For example, employers routinely discriminate between potential employees based upon education or experience. Other types of discrimination are more subtle, but still legal. For example, some employers discriminate between potential employees based upon personal characteristics such as weight or attractiveness. Should employers be permitted to discriminate based upon attractiveness? Take a side and argue that an employer should or should not be permitted by law to discriminate against persons who are not attractive.
In a 2007 article published in the Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy, a lawsuit featuring an overweight man denied employment at a weight-loss clinic was examined. Goodman v. L.A. Weight Loss Centers, Inc. presented the case of a 350-pound man suffering from morbid obesity who was not hired as a sales counselor with a company that specialized in weight reduction plans. “The man sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act and state discrimination law, contending that he was denied employment because he was regarded as disabled. However, the court dismissed his claim, holding that the plaintiff failed to plead that he was excluded from a broad class of jobs and therefore he had not pled that he was substantially limited in the major life activity of working” (Corbett, 2007). This case is an example of both overt (based on his weight) and subtle (he was able to work elsewhere despite his weight) discrimination case where the employer was not found legally responsible.
I believe that discrimination regarding a person’s eligibility to be hired for a job based upon attractiveness can be considered with both pros and cons. For instance, if an individual has the necessary qualifications to fill a position with the knowledge that the organization has a strict dress code requiring employees to dress professionally, I believe the
