When she went back to work after having a baby, LZ Granderson felt out of place. She also started worrying about not fitting a mold. "I feel like there's so many leaders around me who are thin," she says. But now that she's in the leadership position, just as she is, he is not sure how much longer she'll keep up that fight for her body.
Have you ever hesitated to take on a particular role or get up in front of other people because you felt self-conscious about your weight? Or worried that others would see you as unprofessional or “not equipped” for leadership positions? Perhaps you’ve made offhand comments about a colleague’s eating habits?
Weight bias is everywhere, including at work, and yet it’s rarely discussed openly or made part of efforts to create equitable and inclusive workplaces. It should be, especially given what we know about the economic and emotional costs to women who are on the receiving end of this stigma.
Two women who have studied weight bias at work—and the misconceptions that underpin it—help us understand our role in creating a positive body culture.
Guests:
Dr. Habibah Williams is a nurse practitioner at the University of Virginia.
Grace Lemmon is a management professor at DePaul University.
Resources:
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