Love Thy Hairy Lardy Neighbour

We have anti discrimination laws for race, gender and disabilities, now the lardy brigade want their own legal protection in an effort to get every one to think big is beautiful. ‘We want people to stop shouting fatty at us, looking at us in disgust and fair opportunities for employment’, were a few of the comments raised in support of Kathryn Szrodecki’s campaign.

It’s an interesting thought, but where do we stop, we could have anti discrimination laws for short people, tall people, thin people, ugly people, in fact anybody that does not fit with the idealised but entirely unrealistic body image promoted by the fashion industry. Having just read that most women dislike beards perhaps I should start a campaign against the anti beard brigade. After all there are plenty of companies that insist on their male employees being clean shaven.

The finance and legal sectors have long had a reputation for only employing hairless chins and top lips as they consider the wearers of gods own gift to men as untrustworthy. I have kept a hirsute visage ever since my hormones reached their post pubescence level. At the start it was a fashion statement to go with my hippy life style, now it means I get an extra five minutes in bed each morning and save a fortune on razors; so far that’s over 50 days extra in bed and about £5,000 in savings.

The Laws Against Gender

There are many natural physiological and psychological differences between the genders, not just in humans but in all species. These differences are what create and drive sexual reproduction. As man has become more socialised and developed a moral and emotional self we have started to introduce laws that aim to reduce and in some cases eliminate the differences between the genders. Universal suffrage and sex discrimination legislation are perhaps the most significant.

To allow working women have children without risking loosing their careers we have maternity leave regulations. Even fathers now have an opportunity to spend a little time with their new born without sacrificing their holiday entitlements. Now the Equality and Human Rights Commission wants to see more sharing of statutory leave between parents and a greater entitlement. The problem with all this legislation is each attempt to redress the differences between the genders creates discrimination and disadvantages to others. You cannot use laws to rid society of the differences between the sexes.

Those who cannot have children not only suffer as a consequence but have to support those who do and do not have the opportunity to take the extra paid and unpaid leave provided by statutory maternity leave. Infertility is as much a disability as any other but these individuals get nothing were as everyone else gets help and support, its discriminatory, clear and simple. Even help for the infertile is capped by the NHS. Those who choose not to have children are also discriminated against. Often having to fill-in for those who are on maternity leave or need time off for their children. In a fair and equal society we all have rights and responsibilities. If I exercise my right to have a child I should also take full responsibility for the consequences and not expect the state pick up much of the cost or others to be inconvenienced because of our actions.