Paris takes hard look at size bias

PARIS — France, the country that gave the world butter croissants and foie gras, has often been a place where being overweight was seen as something of a sin. But its capital is taking a hard look at the contradictions with a campaign to counter sizeism, an often disregarded kind of discrimination.

Paris anti-discrimination chief Helene Bidard promoted the idea after being on the receiving end of weight-related insults and noticing how bias against people who are overweight or perceived to be went unnoticed, never mind unpunished, in the image-conscious city known for luxury fashion brands.

“We see fat people as ugly and even stupid, lacking hygiene and in bad health,” Bidard said. “Talking about sizeism is already acting.”

As part of its annual week devoted to raising awareness about discrimination, Paris on Friday unveiled its “Sizeism, stop! Taking action together” campaign with a plus-size fashion show and panels featuring bloggers from the “body positive” movement. Leaflets with legal advice and helpline numbers are set to be distributed at sports centres, nightclubs, swimming pools and bistros.

The effort, which is aimed at countering both casual and institutionalized discrimination, comes amid rising obesity rates in France. The National Institute of Health and Medical Research reported that nearly 16 per cent of the adult population was obese last year, compared with six per cent in 1980. But thinness ideals persist.

French blogger Daria Marx said that while a 2011 French law prohibits job discrimination based on physical appearance — résumés and job applications often require candidates to include their photos — fat people are much less likely to be successful.

To challenge the images of small-sized beauty propagated by fashion houses such Paris-based Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Dior, organizers of Friday’s event put on a big-is-beautiful runway show with clothes specially made by designers such as Ewa Minge.

Since Oct 1, French fashion conglomerates LVMH and Kering have stopped hiring excessively thin models and now require models to provide medical certificates to prove they are healthy before they can work. The companies said they hoped to set a new global standard for the fashion industry.

The French law initially included a minimum body mass index requirement, but it was removed after lawmakers deemed the doctor’s certificate an adequate safeguard.