A year and a half ago, I had the opportunity once again to testify in support of legislation to ban height discrimination in the workplace.
The bill was House Bill 1850, or H1850. Representative Byron Rushing of Massachusetts has been more than persistent in his efforts to get this bill pushed through. I had this same opportunity in 2008; at that time it was House Bill H1844.
It was a crowded room for this hearing on January 27th, 2010. However, unlike my 2008 testimony, there were different bills on the docket this day and there wasn’t much of a turnout for the short or overweight people. There were three taller women testifying in support of bill H1850, a woman by the name of Rebecca Puhl (who testified a couple of years ago about discrimination against the obese) and myself; that was the only representation I witnessed.. I was disappointed, not only in the turnout but the fact that this bill will probably get lost in the shuffle once again, as it probably did on that late January day amongst other, more pressing issues.
I was talking to Byron Rushing’s aide about this bill, a nice young lady by the name of Tracy Choi. She seems to think the problem with this issue is not in the opposition but in the indifference; people just don’t care. I couldn’t agree more. This topic doesn’t receive enough attention. Along with that is the fact that advocates for the short and/or overweight just aren’t politically powerful enough to have an impact. Conversely, if you should be so inclined, pay attention to the bill in Massachusetts that, if passed, will ban discrimination in the workplace and beyond against the transgendered. There are many more sponsors to that bill (at least 100) than there are to H1850. Do they deserve more protection than we do? Or, is it that we need a bigger voice?
I believe it is the latter and we need people to do more than complaining on the net and get out there and fight for protection!
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