February 20, 2005
Oakland, CA - National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA) strongly condemns the new weight control policy set forth by the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The new policy states that coctail servers and bartenders who gain more than 7% of their baseline weight (for a person of 130 pounds that would be 9 pounds) will be suspended until they lose the weight or be fired. This policy is a flagrant act of discrimination against people of sizeand particularly against women as this group is predominantly women.
Policies such as this are directly responsible for creating undue stress in the workplace which can lead to a myriad of serious health risks such as eating disorders, anxiety disorders, elevated blood pressure and heart disease, gastrointestinal disorders and more.
NAAFA strongly urges individuals to take action by writing letters of protest to Borgata and their parent company, Boyd Gaming. Hit them where it will hurt the most, in their pocketbooks, by taking your business elsewhere until the Borgata is forced to reverse their policy. Cancel any existing reservations you have at any Boyd Gaming facility if at all possible and make certain that they know you are cancelling because of the new weight control policy at theBorgata.
Other properties owned by Boyd Gaming include the Barbay Coast, the Stardust, Sam's Town, California Hotel, Eldorado, Fremont, Gold Coast, Jokers Wild, Main Street Station, Southcoast and Suncoast Hotel and Casinos in Nevada. In Louisiana they own Delta Downs Race Track, Sam's Town Shreveport and Treasure Chest in New Orleans.
Other properties include Sam's Town, Tunica in Mississippi, Par-A-Dice Hotel & Casino in Illinois and Blue Chip Hotel & Casino in Indiana as well as Vacations Hawaii.
Founded in 1969, the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance is a non-profit human rights organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy, and member support.
On the web: http://www.naafa.org
For more information contact:
Peggy Howell, Public Relations Chairman
National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance
E-mail: naafa_pr@yahoo.com
Phone: (707)246-6116