The smaller the body size, the bigger the paycheck?

That’s right, folks. A new study published in the fall issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology found not only that skinny women make more money than women with larger body sizes, but they make a helluva lot more — in fact, a whopping $16,000 more a year on average:

The study found that thin women are paid significantly more than their average-size counterparts, while heavier women make less. Skinnier-than-average men, on the other hand, cash smaller paychecks than their average-weight peers.

Experts say it’s just another sign that as a society, we’ve internalized the unrealistic, media-driven physical ideals that show up in the workplace — and therefore the pocketbook.

“Employers don’t purposely think of these things when they’re evaluating a person,” said Teresa Rothausen-Vange, a management professor at the University of St. Thomas, who was not involved in the research.

“They don’t say ‘Okay, this woman is skinny, I’m going to give her a raise.’ But research has shown that if you have two resumes, if all other qualifications make the candidates equal, the more physically attractive one — whether it’s a skinny woman or a muscly man — will have the leg up.”

Wow. Americans are just full of integrity these days, aren’t they.

via Shelby Knox