Should obesity be classed as a disability?

[Dragonfly]

Its an illness which can have disabling effects.IMO.

 

[emyandpotato]

I don't know about whether or not it should be classed as a disability, but how is it an unfair dismissal? You wouldn't hire any childminder who couldn't take complete care of a child. I probably wouldn't hire a disabled childminder, or one with mental health problems etc. etc.. It isn't discrimination, it's a case of them not being suitable for the job.

I think that obesity is a medical problem and needs help and assistance but it isn't a disability as it's controllable.

Wasn't gonna reply, but then sorry, couldn't let it go.

You wouldn't hire any childminder who couldn't take complete care of a child - and a disabled person (obviously it depends on what disability they have) can't look after a child??? Please tell me how my 6 year old has lived to 6 and god forbid I'm having another baby...if disabled people can't look after children?

I meant disabled in a way that they could not look after a child. For example I would not hire someone who could not run (figuratively or literally) around after a child, couldn't take them out, couldn't meet all of their needs without help. Sorry, I should have said severely disabled, severe mental health etc., wrote it quite late. Didn't mean to cause offence, and was not saying that disabled people can't look after children, but I picture childminders as alone with three or four children all day and I would assume that someone severely disabled with mobility issues would struggle. I have slight mental health issues and wasn't saying I can't look after my son either, I just meant people with severe issues (like bi-polar etc.) aren't the best candidates for professional childcare. I can see how I worded it stupidly, I'm sorry for upsetting you!

 

[emyandpotato]

I don't know about whether or not it should be classed as a disability, but how is it an unfair dismissal? You wouldn't hire any childminder who couldn't take complete care of a child. I probably wouldn't hire a disabled childminder, or one with mental health problems etc. etc.. It isn't discrimination, it's a case of them not being suitable for the job.

I think that obesity is a medical problem and needs help and assistance but it isn't a disability as it's controllable.

This is a shocking statement. To assume someone is incapable of looking after. child because they have a disability is downright offensive. And I assume you would ask any person if they had a mental illness, or would you expect them to wear a badge proclaiming it?


It breaks my heart that people will look at my daughter when she is an adult and make an assumption about her capabilities, just because she walks funny. There are thousands of people out there with mental illnesses and physical disabilities who are perfectly capable of looking after children.

I replied to another poster above, it was badly phrased and I apologise. No I do not think disabled/mentally ill people cannot be parents. To be honest when I wrote it I was thinking severe MS (poor mobility/seizures) and no I don't really think that's childminder potential.

What I was trying to say is that if someone doesn't have the qualities to do a job, even if the lack of said qualities is down to disability, they aren't suitable for a job and that's that.

 

[Noodlebear]

Obesity definitely should not be classed as a disability. If you can't do a specific job to an acceptable standard, whether it's because you're lazy, overweight, disabled, under qualified whatever, then you shouldn't have said job. I don't think that's discrimination. Different careers require different skill sets, you find one that is suitable for you. I wouldn't go and say try and be a mechanic because I'd be shit, it's not something I am compatible with. If he had a desk job and was fired after gaining weight (no other reason) then THAT would be discrimination.

 

[Gnomer]

Bipolar can be controlled, very successfully. People who suffer from bipolar are ect capable of looking after children.
A disability should only ever be taken into consideration if it would affect your ability to carry out the job you're hired to do, or if there is a significant risk to you or others.
There is still a massive stigma surrounding mental health issues. It's unfair to claim a person suffering from a certain illness can't do a job, when you do not know that person, and that persons mental health problem.

 

[emyandpotato]

Bipolar can be controlled, very successfully. People who suffer from bipolar are ect capable of looking after children.
A disability should only ever be taken into consideration if it would affect your ability to carry out the job you're hired to do, or if there is a significant risk to you or others.
There is still a massive stigma surrounding mental health issues. It's unfair to claim a person suffering from a certain illness can't do a job, when you do not know that person, and that persons mental health problem.

Uncontrolled bi-polar. My only experience of bi-polar is my cousin who currently is having psychotic phases every few weeks and is totally uncontrollable.

Look, I was trying to say that something that affects the ability to look after children, disability or not, is not unfair dismissal. I don't mean disabilities that are controlled/don't affect the ability to look after children. I'm really sorry I worded it wrong and have pissed everyone off and I'm genuinely very upset and embarrassed so am going to stop looking at this thread now. Massive sorry to everyone but basically all I was trying to say was exactly what Noodlebear said.

 

[steph.]

Bipolar can be controlled, very successfully. People who suffer from bipolar are ect capable of looking after children.
A disability should only ever be taken into consideration if it would affect your ability to carry out the job you're hired to do, or if there is a significant risk to you or others.
There is still a massive stigma surrounding mental health issues. It's unfair to claim a person suffering from a certain illness can't do a job, when you do not know that person, and that persons mental health problem.

Uncontrolled bi-polar. My only experience of bi-polar is my cousin who currently is having psychotic phases every few weeks and is totally uncontrollable.

Look, I was trying to say that something that affects the ability to look after children, disability or not, is not unfair dismissal. I don't mean disabilities that are controlled/don't affect the ability to look after children. I'm really sorry I worded it wrong and have pissed everyone off and I'm genuinely very upset and embarrassed so am going to stop looking at this thread now. Massive sorry to everyone but basically all I was trying to say was exactly what Noodlebear said.

I understood what you were trying to say

 

[Sqwidge]

Bipolar can be controlled, very successfully. People who suffer from bipolar are ect capable of looking after children.
A disability should only ever be taken into consideration if it would affect your ability to carry out the job you're hired to do, or if there is a significant risk to you or others.
There is still a massive stigma surrounding mental health issues. It's unfair to claim a person suffering from a certain illness can't do a job, when you do not know that person, and that persons mental health problem.

Uncontrolled bi-polar. My only experience of bi-polar is my cousin who currently is having psychotic phases every few weeks and is totally uncontrollable.

Look, I was trying to say that something that affects the ability to look after children, disability or not, is not unfair dismissal. I don't mean disabilities that are controlled/don't affect the ability to look after children. I'm really sorry I worded it wrong and have pissed everyone off and I'm genuinely very upset and embarrassed so am going to stop looking at this thread now. Massive sorry to everyone but basically all I was trying to say was exactly what Noodlebear said.

I see what you were trying to say now. It's just the word disabled and disability covers such a range that it's hard to generalise in these situations.

Personally I wouldn't become a childminder, not because I can't look after children, but because my son and (hopefully) this baby understand my limitations, whereas other kids wouldn't. So I wouldn't put myself in that situation.

 

[dgirllamius]

I haven't read all the thread, just skimmed a few replies but I noticed bi polar came up.

I have bi polar, does that mean I am incapable of looking after a child? No. I have it very much under control with the help of some fantastic professionals. I've actually been able to keep it under control more since having LO than ever before.

If I applied for a job I certainly wouldn't go around broadcasting to every employer I have a mental issue because for one its under control and it doesn't make me incapable of doing things.

Aside from that, there was a woman here who applied for a job and got an interview. She however didn't get the job. She actually went on to sue the employer saying they didn't employ here because she's overweight (and this wasn't even the reason, she just thought this was why she was rejected). She did take it to court but she didn't win. She was 168cm (round about) and 86kg, hardly the weight to be unable to move.

I think obesity is not a disability and shouldn't be classed as one either.

 

[Foogirl]

Bipolar can be controlled, very successfully. People who suffer from bipolar are ect capable of looking after children.
A disability should only ever be taken into consideration if it would affect your ability to carry out the job you're hired to do, or if there is a significant risk to you or others.
There is still a massive stigma surrounding mental health issues. It's unfair to claim a person suffering from a certain illness can't do a job, when you do not know that person, and that persons mental health problem.

Uncontrolled bi-polar. My only experience of bi-polar is my cousin who currently is having psychotic phases every few weeks and is totally uncontrollable.

Look, I was trying to say that something that affects the ability to look after children, disability or not, is not unfair dismissal. I don't mean disabilities that are controlled/don't affect the ability to look after children. I'm really sorry I worded it wrong and have pissed everyone off and I'm genuinely very upset and embarrassed so am going to stop looking at this thread now. Massive sorry to everyone but basically all I was trying to say was exactly what Noodlebear said.

I see what you were trying to say now. It's just the word disabled and disability covers such a range that it's hard to generalise in these situations.

Personally I wouldn't become a childminder, not because I can't look after children, but because my son and (hopefully) this baby understand my limitations, whereas other kids wouldn't. So I wouldn't put myself in that situation.

I think this is what it boils down to. If someone with a disabilty or a mental illness chooses to become a childminder it would be because they judge themselves able. Everyone copes with their issues in a different way and finds a way to do things differently. If they think they can do it, I don't think it's fair for potential customers to judge it for themselves.

 

[HoneyBee144]

Bipolar can be controlled, very successfully. People who suffer from bipolar are ect capable of looking after children.
A disability should only ever be taken into consideration if it would affect your ability to carry out the job you're hired to do, or if there is a significant risk to you or others.
There is still a massive stigma surrounding mental health issues. It's unfair to claim a person suffering from a certain illness can't do a job, when you do not know that person, and that persons mental health problem.

Uncontrolled bi-polar. My only experience of bi-polar is my cousin who currently is having psychotic phases every few weeks and is totally uncontrollable.

Look, I was trying to say that something that affects the ability to look after children, disability or not, is not unfair dismissal. I don't mean disabilities that are controlled/don't affect the ability to look after children. I'm really sorry I worded it wrong and have pissed everyone off and I'm genuinely very upset and embarrassed so am going to stop looking at this thread now. Massive sorry to everyone but basically all I was trying to say was exactly what Noodlebear said.

I understand what you were trying to say too My sister has severe anxiety disorder, OCD and a host of other mental health issues, she is a fantastic auntie but I wouldn't leave my son with her as she wouldn't cope. She's not a bad person and she loves Freddie to bits (and he loves her) but she technically isn't safe to leave to be left with him as if she gets too stressed she has panic attacks and blacks out so definitely wouldn't be a good babysitter/childminder! I'm sorry I can't see your original post now but I think that's the sort of people you were talking about, not saying they are bad people but that they just wouldn't be able to cope in that environment. Hope I've got the right end of the stick!

Regarding whether obesity should be classed as a disability, I think if it was then it should be on a temporary basis and the person should have to show they are trying to lose weight and improve the situation. I guess there's no avoiding the fact that regardless of how they got that way, being overweight can affect what you can and can't do like a disability but they should have to prove they are making the effort to change.

 

[Andypanda6570]

I also understood what you were trying to say

 

[Jes.shortcake]

Obesity can lead to problems that I would classify as a disability HOWEVER..just like becoming overweight caused those issues, losing weight can help those issues as well.

 

[JASMAK]

I am going to say maybe. Being obese is only about weight. Why is this person obese? Thyroid issue? Tumour? Eating disorder? Mental illness? I doubt someone is seriously obese without an underlying issue that caused it. So...if they cannot control being obese, then why should they be discriminated?

 

[Bex84]

I wouldn't say obesity in its self is a disability but can lead to other problems that can be a disability. As long as someone is able to do there job then it shouldn't matter if over weight however if it does effect you so you can't complete full job roll in long term then it should be allowed as grounds of dismissal. I wouldent take in to account self inflicted argument. My dad needed a hip replacement which was own fault since he was speeding on a motor bike and had an accident when young leading to dislocated hip which led to need to replace so lots of things can happen through poor choice. I know with teaching I had to disclose I had had depression which was circumstantial and they had to review if they felt I was able to cope I would think it should be same for most jobs to point of not over disability but based on ability, put it this way I couldn't be a runner, gymnast, footballer etc as I don't have ability and as much as I did I don't have the natural ability