Self Employment issues

[FlookCrow]

I was recently not hired for a job because I was too fat (I'm a size 10) and too old (I'm in my mid 20s and do not look it!). I work in an industry where looks and age are becoming more important than your ability to actually do the job and quite frankly, it's hacking me off as I see more and more of me and my friends not getting work because they're too fat/old.

Just getting a bit tired of it all.. as a self employed person, do we have any rights? Is it finally time to stand up and say "I am utterly qualified for this job and your decision to not hire me was based on my age, and that is wrong."

Hurumph

We all have the right to say that but sadly not the right to get an answer!
I feel for you, I've been self employed for several years now and it's nothing but hard slog. You have to fight for people to notice you and even then it's quite likely your ideas will get nabbed and you're left at square one again.
It's not easy finding regular employment either though. My husband has been out of work for well over a year. He's young (I think 30 is still young anyway) healthy and hard working but he can't even get his foot in the door of the most mundane jobs. He is too old for training schemes and apprentice work and the longer he's out of work the harder it gets.
You can stand up for yourself and have a go back and trust me I've done it a few times but all it means is they send you away/hang up on you. Remember 'they' are always right and we are always wrong. It's not fair but then again life's not really very fair.