Appearance-Based Discrimination in Corporate America Essay

When the issue of discrimination materializes, the common types that come to mind are class, race, and gender discrimination. However, appearance-based discrimination in the workplace is a growing issue in America. Discrimination based on appearance is different from other forms in that it can be used to discriminate against a wide range of people. From gender, race, and sex, to social class, age, and weight, every person has a physical appearance, which in turn makes every person a candidate for being judged. Whether intentional or unintentional, the physical appearances of workers from all walks of life are being subjected to corporate scrutiny. When deciding who should represent their companies, American employers tend to focus on†¦show more content†¦Being court ordered to hire recruiters in charge of searching for potential employees who are considered to be minorities is just one strategy Abercrombie will use to diversify their future staff. The company was told to stay away from â€Å"targeting specific fraternities and sororities† when recruiting, as this was one way to insure the company could continue to portray their previous â€Å"predominately white staff† (Vu 254). In this particular case, Abercrombie is making it evident that as a company there is a bias towards employees who appear to not be of white lineage. Whether looking through an Abercrombie catalog, or taking a look at the models featured on their website, it is obvious that the company may not have learned their lesson. By continuing to promote the clichà ©d company standard of substantially white, athletic, good-looking models on their advertisements, Abercrombie will inevitably continue to attract similar looking clientele and job pursuers. Hiring employees for Abercrombie who hail from a wide variety of different background and ethnic groups would not only likely bring new shoppers into their stores, but would also result in a decline in appearance-ba sed discrimination suits filed by ethnic minorities. From high school graduation on many Americans spend an extensive amount of time grooming their lives to earn a seat at a table in corporate America. It seems logical that in order to acquire a top ofShow MoreRelatedBeauty Is In The Eyes Of The Beholder: The Fight Against Appearance Based Workplace Discrimination1701 Words   |  7 Pages Discrimination happens all around us, and in many different forms. When it comes to being employed, there are laws in place to protect us against certain methods of discrimination. 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