sizeism

American  

[sahyz-iz-uhm] / ˈsaɪzˌɪz əm /

noun

1. discrimination against people who are visibly overweight or obese, especially the tendency to assume that they are unhealthy and lacking in self-control, or to devalue them as unworthy of attention, unsuitable for employment, etc..

   In this magazine we reject diet culture, sizeism, and the thin ideal.

2. discrimination against people of a certain shape or size.

   Sizeism is hard to avoid on some dating apps, where users commonly request that women over 5’6” not contact them.

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sizeism British  

/ ˈsaɪzɪzəm /

noun

1. discrimination on the basis of a person's size, esp against people considered to be overweight

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Other Word Forms

• sizeist adjective

Etymology

Origin of sizeism

First recorded in 1970–75; size ¹ ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

Example Sentences

It is a stark change for a brand that not only long sold lingerie in the guise of male fantasy, but has also been scrutinized heavily in recent years for its owner’s relationship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and revelations about a misogynistic corporate culture that trafficked in sexism, sizeism and ageism.

From New York Times

A news article that pointed out actors’ pandemic weight gain spurred a conversation about sizeism throughout the musical theater scene.

From Los Angeles Times

Like the ongoing fight against the theater’s systemic racism and inequity, the industry’s longstanding sizeism won’t be solved overnight.

From Los Angeles Times

The fat acceptance movement was created to push back against sizeism, which can come in the form of blatant discrimination or unconscious bias, but it has also been criticized as encouraging people to make unhealthy choices.

From Washington Post

While they think the discrimination they experience is strictly sexism, I often wonder how much of it is actually the result of sizeism?

From BBC