Controversy strikes a Hooters establishment in Michigan after bosses threaten to fire a 5’ 8” 132lbs waitress for being “too fat.”
The establishment provided Cassie Smith with a paid gym membership and reportedly told her to go on a “weight restriction” plan if she wanted to keep her job. If she didn’t lose the weight within a given time period, she would be “separated from the company.”
You can find all the details on the controversy on the Huffington Post but we want to know whose side you’re on.
There’s a video on HP that shows Cassie now. It’s clear she’s gained weight and, for someone who is insisting she’s not too big to waitress there, she makes no attempt to stand up and show off her body like she did in her before picture above. In fact, throughout the whole video its clear that she’s gained weight in her face and (especially given the fact that she insists on sitting down and hiding the rest of her body) presumably everywhere else.
Cassie Smith is fighting against the Hooters organization claiming she shouldn’t be fired (or threatened to be fired) for being what they consider “too fat.”
On the other hand, Hooters is defending their decision comparing themselves to employers like the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders or the Rockettes, who are expected to uphold a specific image.
“We will say that our practice of upholding an image standard based on appearance, attitude, and fitness for Hooters girls is both legal and fair.”
We have to agree with Hooters here. Sure, no woman wants to be criticized for her weight but at the same time, the Hooters organization is based on an expectation of customers being served by hot, fit waitresses. If she knew the standards up front, she can’t complain that she’s getting fired now. Besides, who wants to go into a Hooters restaurant and get waited on by an overweight employee whose trying so desperately to fit into an XS shirt that she ends up approaching your table with a very noticeable muffin top? It might be the experience you expect to get at your local McDonalds, but not Hooters.
Quit your bitching, take the free membership and work off the pounds, Cassie. It’s as simple as that.
at 5′-8″ and 132 lb. this lady is not over weight by any scale, she would be considered in the middle of the normal weight range. for any medical, ins. not over weight. for me it does not look like the pictures are for the same person.
Is the manager also on 30 day probation? He makes at least three of the girls in one BIG boy. I have been in a Hooters. Their prices are terrible and the food is not great. I think they should be boycotted until they change a lot about the company. They are trying to blame the “overweight” server on the fact that they are loosing money. Try the prices and food. Much more reason there than the server! We are still in a bad economic turndown, specially in Detroit and surrounding area. Get Real!!! And, don’t use sexual discrimination in your restaurant. Managers should be held by the same rules you want to use for servers!
It’s interesting that a man wrote this “story.” I feel that it is completely unfair for a man to be criticizing a woman on her weight. Many women struggle with body image and things like this article do not help. Her weight has little to do with her job and unless they specifically say only women who are size 2 and under can work at Hooters, it is unfair for them to fire her.
Wow, simply amazing that the “writer” of this story, and Hooters, seem to like their women be of the anorexic type. I am a 5’8″ woman, and in the last 2 years, I have weighed as little as 119, which is *disgusting*. And, I have a small frame, too. I now weigh around 150, and people *still* think I’m skinny! I can still wear the same clothes I’ve been wearing for the last few years. Hooters and their outdated “standards” can go stick their sticky hot wings up their ASS!!!!!
In some positions an employee’s appearance is far more relevant than in other positions. If when the young lady took the position at Hooters she was told she was expected to maintain a certain appearance and figure and a picture was taken of her as I suspect it was and she now does not possess the appearance and figure Hooters asked her to maintain when she was hired, it is not unreasonable for Hooters to ask her to lose weight or face potential repercussions. I am concerned that we do not have a current head to toe picture of her in her uniform to compare to the picture taken of her in her uniform when she was hired. I am also concerned that we do not have a body weight of her in her uniform at the time of hire and a body weight of her in her uniform right now. As for the comments regarding the manager’s weight, they’re certainly correct, but the manager’s appearance has far less to do with his position than does the young woman’s. She was certainly stunning when the photo of her in her uniform was taken upon her being hired and for both her health and career I wish her the best in her efforts to lose weight and maintain the expectations set by her employer to which she likely agreed.