When the problem of discrimination materializes, the common types that come to mind are class, race, and gender discrimination. However, appearance-based discrimination in the workplace is a growing problem in America. Appearance-based discrimination is different from other forms in that it can be used to discriminate against a wide range of people. From gender, race and sex, to social class, age and weight, every person has a physical appearance, which in turn makes every person a candidate for being judged. Whether intentional or not, the physical appearance of workers from all walks of life is subjected to corporate scrutiny. When deciding who should represent their companies, American employers tend to focus on a person's ability to conform and outward appearances rather than their skill level. One such case has already led to two lawsuits filed against corporate giant Abercrombie & Fitch. Discussed in Paula Rothenberg's book Race, Class and Gender in the United States, Carol Vu reveals Abercrombie's vision of her ideal employee. People of African American, Filipino, or Latino descent were unable to provide the stereotypical all-American appearance that Abercrombie typically expects their employees to convey. It is no coincidence that these minority groups also make up the lowest level of America's ethnic hierarchy. There is also a direct correlation between the minority groups that make up the lowest level of the American ethnic hierarchy, also belonging to a substantially poorer economic class than the Euro-Americans in the two highest levels (Marger 308-310). This is another factor that leads companies like Abercrombie to hire predominantly white staff. If the higher economic class... middle of paper......Works CitedDarlin, Damon. “Extra weight, higher costs.” Nytimes.com. The New York Times Company, December 2, 2006. Web. .Ehrenreich, Barbara. Bait and Switch: The (Fuseless) Search for the American Dream. 1st ed. New York City, NY: Henry Holt, 2006. Kindle Ebook.Marger, Martin N. Social Inequality: Patterns and Processes. 5th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.Tahmincioglu, Eve. “Big Chance: Not Easy for Obese Workers.” Msnbc.com. Msnbc Digital Network, January 26, 2007. Web. .Vu, Carol N. "Abercrombie Settles Class Action Lawsuit." Race, class, and gender in the United States: An integrative study. By Paula S. Rothenberg. 8th ed. New York, NY: Value, 2010. 253-55. Press.