Would you hire someone visibly anorexic?

[Ncncncncc]

I’m looking for honest (even if brutal) answers.

I'd have my reservations if it was a physical job for anyone remarkable underweight. Otherwise, if they're the best person for the job and they looked well otherwise, then yes.

Unless they told you that was the reason*

No , I’m just being honest . If I could avoid hiring someone with bad health than makes sense
I do . Anorexia is a MH issue that causes physical issues too , it’s imo very serious . I have 3 people in our family who needed 5 months and 1 year in hospital and special unit treatment

If they interviewed well, had the qualifications or were keen to work for them and seemed suited to the job then yes.

This thread is insane. It wouldn't even register on my mind that someone might be anorexic in the first place and if they told me I wouldn't consider it in how they fit a role. How do people make these massive judgements off a person's appearance.

And it's bloody hilarious that this a site primarily of women and MOTHERS saying they wouldn't hire someone because their appearance means they might need lots of time off work... like how lots of men don't want to hire women and mothers becuase they might need lots of time off.

Exactly. You can't tell by looking at somebody if they are anorexic. But I wouldn't really want yo hire somebody who was anorexic if the job was stressful because it could aggravate their condition., But don't know if that would be legal discrimination.

Appearance ? No I would worry with capacity to perform a task above anything else . I have a stressful job , anorexia is above all. Mental health illness that causes physical issues . I would be irresponsible to both my team and this person to hire her if I knew her condition would make her struggle and potentially affect work too

It really depends on the job.
I hope you get the job & the future you deserve. Good luck

It's not used that way in common usage though.
If you say "I had anorexia" then everyone is going to assume you mean anorexia nervosa, not that you lost your appetite.

I've never even heard medical practitioners refer to it as 'anorexia' when I lost my appetite.

I only know one person who has anorexia nervosa and looks visibly ill (although as others have said, she just looks ill and thin, you wouldn't know it was actually anorexia unless you knew her).

Anyway, she is one of the hardest working people I know. She, like a lot of anorexics is a perfectionist and puts herself under incredible pressure to 'perform' at work. Not saying that this is good for her obviously, but her employers wouldn't have a word of complaint about her and she does very well at work.

This is just one example but, as is human nature, I would think of her if I was hiring and the condition wouldn't put me off. What might put me off is not knowing if the applicant was ill with cancer or some other condition that might necessitate lots of time off work, which you wouldn't definitively need if they were living with anorexia.

You don't know someone is anorexic. I've been very thin due to having food intolerance ie gluten and walking a lot. I had about one day off sick a year and gained a bonus for excellent performance.

Well people can make lots of assumptions. As a young woman I was very thin. I did eat lots - just naturally slim though. I got glandular fever and I looked ill - I wasn't any thinner than I was before.. All these people suddenly popped out of the woodwork confessing their previous eating disorders and they could see that I was heading down the same track. I was nonplussed. I kept thinking the more I denied having an eating disorder the more I sounded like I did have one. Luckily I got better before somebody staged an intervention.

Hi OP, I'm so sorry you're struggling with anorexia. It is a cruel and difficult illness to manage. It wouldn't put me off hiring someone who was noticeably very underweight. I might have some private thoughts around why they look the way they do but it wouldn't be a barrier to employing them and I certainly wouldn't vocalise those to the person. I've previously hired people who have disclosed different mental illnesses and it's not something I would judge someone for

I am disgusted with some of the replies on here.

My DIL has anorexia and she works full-time for the police and does a bloody good job.

Discrimination against this condition is appalling and I hope there are decent humans out there who can see past it.

No.

^^This. Plus sending you love and good wishes OP

You can tell by their face. A naturally thin person doesn't look gaunt. It's really obvious.

I have a beloved family member who is recovering ( I hope ) from Anorexia,
but I wouldn’t willingly hire someone suffering this way, if there was someone else capable of doing whatever the job was.

I'd give them a chance, if they were the best at interview. I have a close relative, who did a very responsible and physically and mentally difficult job for 35 years, whilst they were in the grip of anorexia. They never lost time off work, and were well respected. They are "well" now and still working in an equally responsible role,at 60.

Some bonkers stuff on here. Visibly anorexic? Eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes and with all kinds of behaviours which (frankly) often seem bonkers to anyone outside them.
DD has been slightly underweight with an ED in the past, and is now trying to recover. But never skeletal. You'd never know from looking at her, and she has functioned at a very high level - stellar exam results, great job, classic high achiever, and diligent to a fault. It's herself she's been destroying.
Her current employer values her very highly - to the point that they've authrorised sick leave in order for her to receive treatment (at last). It seems to be working, and she is returning to work in a staged fashion - a great investment for the employer. And naturally she is grateful for their understanding.

Nobody can tell by looking at you that you have anorexia. They can tell if you're seriously underweight but the two are not the same. It would be serious discrimination either way.

I hope you’re ok and getting help, I’m sorry it’s so tough for you.

In real life most people are very bad at recognising someone with anorexia. Women with anorexia often get complimented on how slim they are.

One of the Drs at my practice suffers from anorexia. I always ask to see her as she’s an amazing person who has helped me enormously over the years. So yes @Ncncncncc I would consider you for a job.

The OP has confirmed it's themself that is anorexic not someone else.