Being thin and beautiful is a dominant value in US society. Sex is a driving force and it sells. We place a huge emphasis in our society on physical appearance. From our television to our magazines, physical appearance pervades our entire society. Being young and attractive is what lures people to a venue. In a casino you are trying to recreate the sex/drug/alcohol and gambling environment that Atlantic city and Vegas. These values have been in place since the 50’s when Las Vegas and gambling got popular. They were in place when there were true burlesque shows in Vegas. The current obsession with thinness and attractiveness for the Borgata is tied to the experience.
Borgata is defined as organized branch of the Mafia (Dictionaries, 2014). So since the mafia has had a long history with organized crime and gambling it comes as a shock that this is actually legal. This is value that this organization is striving to recreate. With the sex and sin, I am much more inclined to believe they are trying to recreate the Mafia feel.
Unfortunately this policy is not only legal but encouraged by some employers. The only state in the United States that protects against this is Michigan. In a recent article published by the Huffington Post stated that “[The Borgata Babes decision was] a horrible ruling,” Michigan-based disability rights attorney Richard Bernstein told Time. “You have to look at the far-reaching applications of it. You always have to look at a decision with a broad brush. That decision gives employers a tremendous power over people in the workplace.” This power is to enforce that value of sex sells and it will attract the right clientel over the world to Altlantic city. (Huffington Post, 2013)
The ruling stated that even though they were discriminating and basically demeaning the employees into sex objects, the employees were volunteering for it and the judge upheld that it was the employers right. Surprisingly this ruling still stood clear until its last trial date in 2013. The Borgata babes as the article states did not win and the previous lawsuit that was filed in 2006 was settled out of court.
Some of the occupations that would require a weight restriction would be if it would directly affect the job. Think about a helicopter pilot. If they gain too much weight it begins to cut in on the total profits of the helicopter ride company. These companies would be deliberately losing profits if they were to employ these individuals. Another occupation would be as a model for a clothing line. You have to fit in the clothing. Other categories would include astronaut, waitress, Fitness trainers could also have imposed weight rules for gym memberships. Flight attendants have won multiple lawsuits for years.
Works Cited
Dictionaries, O. (2014, June 14). Oxford Dictionaries Language Matters. Retrieved June 14, 2014, from Oxford Dictionary: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/borgata
Huffington Post. (2013, July 27). Huffington Post. Retrieved June 14, 2014, from Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/27/borgata-babes-lawsuit-waitresses-weight_n_3664531.html
