Author Calls American Workplaces Hostile to Fat People.

Byline: Melanie Payne

Nov. 13--Being the object of vicious taunts and unfair stereotypes is a common problem for fat children. Unfortunately, that oppression and ostracism doesn't go away when a fat child becomes a fat adult.

It often becomes worse.

Fat people report being denied housing, subjected to verbal and physical abuse and being discriminated against in medical care.

But the most consistent and blatant area of discrimination against fat people comes on the job, activists for fat people say.

"I don't think I know of anyone who's fat whose employment life hasn't been affected by that," says Sondra Solovay, author of "Tipping the Scales of Justice: Fighting Weight Based Discrimination."

"Sometimes it's blatant discrimination in employment and sometimes it's more ambiguous -- not trying for jobs because they know they'll be discriminated against."

Susan Smith, a Phoenix-based business journalist, has written extensively about the struggles with her weight. She recalled looking for a job early in her career.

One editor, who first interviewed her over the phone, responded so enthusiastically that they were "almost to the point of talking salary," Smith recalls.…