The New York City Council, in another one of their hair-brained initiatives, have decided that there is another class of persons who need special protection: people who are overweight.

The new bill adds both weight and and height discrimination to the already long list of characteristics that qualify for special protection. This will make New York City the 6th city in the nation with weight discrimination laws.

The bill itself does have a carve out for employers where the job demands that weight and height be considered, though, even with this exception, there is no doubt that many frivolous lawsuits will be brought against companies by people seeking a settlement.

Why are we treating overweight people as victims? Why are we encouraging them to remain overweight and not improve their overall health? NYC is treating obesity as something that can’t be fixed, like someone’s race or religion. What will the next protected class be?