By Guy Page
A bill introduced Friday into the Vermont Senate would ban discrimination on the basis of weight and ethnic hair styling.
S23, sponsored by Sen. Ruth Hardy (D-Addison) and co-sponsored by six others, would “prohibit discrimination and harassment based on hair types and styles associated with a particular race and on the basis of weight.”
The bill amends current public accommodations and fair housing laws by adding weight and/or hair to such anti-discrimination categories as race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, religious creed, color, national origin, weight, or disability.
A VDC email asking Sen. Hardy about known instances of anti-weight and anti-ethnic hair discrimination in Vermont has not yet been returned.
Obesity Action Coalition (“People living with obesity deserve to have their stories told, and OAC fights to ensure those stories are told with dignity and respect”) has a Vermont fact sheet stating that Vermont is 47th in obesity. A New York group called the Council on Size and Weight Discrimination (“Working to end discrimination against people who are heavier than average”) also offers resources.
The co-sponsors are Sens. Martine Gulick, Andrew Perchlik, Kesha Ram Hinsdale, Tanya Vyhovsky, Anne Watson, and Rebecca White. It has been referred to the Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee, chaired by Ram Hinsdale.
The following bills have been introduced since last Friday. For a complete listing of all 2023 Senate bills, see Vermont Senate Bills, part of the Vermont Daily Chronicle Toolbox for Following and Influencing the Legislature.
| Bill # | Introduced | Subject | Lead Sponsor | Sponsor’s party | Committee |
| S.26 | 1/20/2023 | Removes VT residency requirement for assisted suicide | Lyons | Democrat | Health & Welfare |
| S.25 | 1/20/2023 | Bans per/polyfluoroalkyls from cosmetics, health products, astroturf | Lyons | Democrat | Health & Welfare |
| S.24 | 1/19/2023 | low carbon fuel standards for gasoline, diesel | White | Democrat | Natural Resources |
| S.23 | 1/19/2023 | Ban discrimination for ethnic hair styles, weight | Hardy | Democrat | Economic Development |
Categories: Legislation
So would a landlord be responsible for widening the doors and installing a lift for someone who weighs 500 pounds? It would seem so, as they could not refuse to rent on the basis of weight. And “ethnic hairstyles?” I mean, it’s probably not the hairstyle some potential racist landlord is worried about. LOL. Why not add tattoos? My Maori friend is having issues with the moko. Happens all the time in Vermont.
I just noticed the “Chief Feminist Officer,” pin on Hardy’s lapel in the picture. I don’t suppose anyone told her that the word “chief,” is straight-up racist toward Native Americans…
For shame!
Ruth Hardy is “special” don’t you know!
Another useless bill
All this stems from the original ban on discrimination for stupidly.
Finally! Vermont has always been a bastion of discriminatory hair policies. So glad to hear that that issue has been finally resolved by the virtue-signalers.
And right on cue thanks to very vague Prop 22 – Vermont is opening itself up to everyone from sea to shining sea who wishes to murder their own babies here or even commit hari-kari themselves! How thoughtful – think of the convenience, one can even plan an entire vacation around these events.
Take note Division of Tourism: “Imagine yourself skiing the slopes of the picturesque Green Mountains one day and the next day having yourself offed by one of our professionally trained “health care” workers!! No need for those pricey round-trip tickets from the west coast to here when you decide to stay in Vermont, because our new State motto is “Here today, gone tomorrow” as we always say! (Since January 20, 2023, anyway). A one-way ticket is all you’re going to need! And please don’t neglect to avail yourselves of our green-energy brothels during your stay prior to killing either yourself or your own offspring — The State of Vermont always loves “happy endings” in either the proverbial or the literal sense – or even both!!! Remember…..we’re the LEAST religious State in the nation and we’re proud to show it off! Weary of searching all over for all manner of debauchery and wickedness? Well, no more! Vermont has it all and we look forward to serving you soon in our state where your demise is our destiny”!
Is there ANY way to force these legislators to get help?? I’m seriously concerned…
I always wondered why “weight” has never been included in state or federal anti-discrimination and public accommodation laws. However, considering who the sponsor of this proposal, I would fully expect the weight criterion to be deleted from the wording since she likely only really wanted to address the “ethnic hairstyle” supposed discrimination as an act of typical demoprog virtue signaling. Just like forcing medical practitioners to engage in practices they find religiously abhorrent, can we expect Montpelier demoprogs to eventually require all cosmetology schools to be mandated to teach all ethnic hairstyle techniques and all licensees to be required to be proficient in their use of them upon request? It is truly amazing what fanciful proposals these marxist types come up with in their quest for giving rise to their vision of social utopia.
An ironic focus. Banning discrimination on the basis of vaccination status would be much more timely/relevant.
Exactly!
So white girls and trustafarians can be free to braid their hair again! But what about crooked teeth? Or B.O.? What about snowboarders at Mad River? What about dog-people vs cat-people? What kind of car/truck you drive? Any stickers on it? Hats and T-shirts? Covid mRNA shot status or unwillingness to cover your face in public?
Sorry, one gets carried away thinking of all the discrimination out there!
I love how you think purslane….!
What about people with big ears and a long nose, you know, like some of our law makers. Where do we stop?
Just think about the people who elect these pillars of the Utopian Dream! What about bald shaming and nasty comments? The Chief of the feminists sure has a handle on the major issues facing Vermonters.
Dano, if you did the research, you might be aware that most feminists actually stand against this Woke fascism.
I’d like to see that research, because I don’t think that’s even remotely true. A handful of “TERFs” might oppose men pretending to be women, (because they win at sports, mostly,) but otherwise, feminist theory, critical theory and “intersectionality,” all have the same nose rings and funny colored hair to go along with the sanctimonious Coexist bumpersticker.
Always felt subconscious about people staring at my ear hairs but now I am feeling closer to being able to put those peeps behind bars where they belong….I can an amendment to this bill coming shortly getting bipartisan support.
Not sure where this all ends but most likely not at a good place.
You’re being highly shortsighted here. You very obviously haven’t given much consideration to nose hairs with your sole focus on ear hair. Who can even begin to estimate the job losses and general harassment people with elongated nose hairs have endured within VT society whose then resultant bleak economic status rendered them unable to even begin to afford a decent pair of nose hair clippers? The level of deep-seated discrimination – so much so that nary a word is ever even spoken of it – is appalling. Let’s demand our lawmakers legislate anti-probiscis prohibitions now! All Schozzes Matter!
Another blow against genuine free enterprise.
Call me what you will, I for one would love to be in a courthouse watching a court case for discrimination against a fat person, or someone in dreadlocks.
Why don’t Vermont Legislators focus on some relief for citizens who have corrupt and evil Selectboard members? How do you get these good old boys to follow Public Record laws if your only recourse is Vermont’s Court system which moves like a snail? Just wait three years for them to come up for re-election and try to find someone with a strong enough stomach to replace them!