obesity and prejudice

The name says it all - Club Bounce. And Long Beach, California folks looking to shake and rattle their rolls think that a dance club for the obese is just what doctor ordered -- for their social lives at least.

Long unable to get past the velvet ropes at traditional nightclubs because of their weight, Californians with a few (or even more than a few) extra pounds have no trouble getting in at Club Bounce. That's because the club was created to serve a specific clientele: the overweight and obese.

The Boy Scouts have had their share of criticism over the years (relating to homosexuality and religious beliefs). We can now add the overweight to the list of people the Boy Scouts have rankled.

A policy comes into effect in January, which will require both children and adults to meet height and weight standards for "high adventure" or extreme events, such as a 15-mile trek. Here is the chart that outlines the allowable weights for the various heights.

That's why some people are screaming civil rights violations and starting obese advocacy groups promoting anti-bias laws and increased tolerance by the healthcare industry and in the workplace.

Heavy travelers flying United Airlines might find themselves paying for an extra seat. United is the third and latest airline to charge obese passengers for two seats instead of one. The guidelines are clear: Passengers need to be able to put the armrest between the seats down, and they need to be able to buckle their seat belt without an extender.

The decision, clearly, isn't without controversy. The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance thinks United is way off course. "Tall, short, thin or fat, broad shoulders, wide hips or longer legs ... people come in all sizes and it is rare for any coach seat to provide a comfortable and pleasant travel experience," says a spokesman.

Other weight diversity advocates argue that since one-third of Americans are obese, airlines should upsize 30 percent of their seats, so that obese travelers can travel comfortably.

Air India has fired nine hostesses after declaring them 'medically unfit' to fly. The air hostesses were between 11kg (24 lb) and 32kg (70 lb) overweight.

As someone who's been "shown the door" at nightclubs before, this article really annoyed me. A club in Australia faces hot water for barring heavy set women, but admitting men of similar size.

Yeah, because we all know how appealing fat dudes are! The bar's actions prompted protests and 1,000 people to join an internet-based campaign demanding a boycott of the nightclub.

Under law - you cannot discriminate against anyone on the basis of color, race, creed, gender, age, and so on and so on...

There is one exception however - body weight.

New research shows that weight discrimination remains socially acceptable in today's culture.

There used to be a quaint notion that people who were overweight were "jolly" and "fun-loving" and generally more social than skinny folks.

But that's just an old wives tale... isn't it? One would think that with the stigma and discrimination overweight people face in modern society, they'd be more shy, anxious, and introverted, right?

Well, a new study claims that those who pack on more pounds are actually more sociable and less anxious than people who are not overweight.

The world is a strange place - and not every country equates slimness with beauty. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania presents an opposite viewpoint to the West:

Welsh woman Rowan Trezise has been denied a visa into New Zealand because she is too heavy. Her husband has already emigrated - after being recruited for a job in the country.

Indian Airlines have grounded a number of air hostesses claiming they are "too fat".