America is the land of the free, right? A land where you can't be discriminated against for being the wrong race, the wrong religion, the wrong gender or even... weight for it... the wrong size. Fat-shaming is not allowed in the new, woke USA. Stuff your face full of that junk food and don't be afraid of being called names, or of having people make mooing or oinking noises behind your back.
What about losing your job? Can they fire you for being obese? Well, we're going to find out.
Chelsia Blackmon (who is actually Blackwoman), is taking legal action against Spirit Airlines, her former employer, claiming she was wrongfully terminated for being too overweight to buckle the seat belt on the jumpseat on an Airbus 319 operated by the Florida-based airline.
She accuses Spirit of discrimination for not being offered the same treatment as a white colleague who could not "fit" in the jump seat.
The claim filed on her behalf in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida, stipulates that when Blackmon was hired, she'd completed and passed all training and compliance protocols, including being strapped into a jump seat (not the one in the picture).
However, when she was assigned to one of Spirit's A-319s on September 3rd, she failed to strap herself into the seat, and was not allowed to get an extension belt to accommodate her great girth. In fact, she was asked to leave the plane and was put on administrative leave.
Ten days later, according to her complaint, Ms Blackmon was asked to meet with airline managers, and prove she could buckle into a jump seat. When she tried again, on October 8th, she found the jumpseat to small for her. She was suspended from service for five days [to go on a crash diet? Ed.], and fired a month later.
Ms Blackmon accuses the airlne of discriminating against her not just because she's observably obese, but also because she's black -- your classic BBBW. Her complaint alleges that a Caucasian flight attendant -- only a BBW -- who was also in the early stages of her career at Spirit had the same problem but was given several months before she had to prove she could strap herself into a jump seat.
The complaint claims that, because of "discriminatory and illegal differential treatment based upon her race," Ms Blackmon has suffered "lost wages, compensatory damages, mental anguish and suffering." The flight attendant also says that Spirit's actions "were in willful and malicious and in reckless disregard of her civil rights."
Ms Blackmon is seeking back pay, damages, including punitive damages (of course) and legal costs (more of course) in a trial by jury. Spirit Airlines and Ms Blackmon's attorney didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
Agent 3, our resident legal beagle, says jury selection for the upcoming trial ought to be really entertaining. He adivses Ms Blackmon to withdraw the Florida action and file a new claim in Louisiana, where whoever has the biggest alligator wins.
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