AUCKLAND – A plus-size woman was asked to lose weight in case she wanted the permanent residency of New Zealand, in what appears to be a surprising condition.
Mondelea Bezuidenhout, who hails from South Africa immigrated to New Zealand along with her family in 2018 but was asked to shed 30 Kgs if she wanted to stay in the country.
The woman’s request for permanent residency was denied by the New Zealand authorities; they cited that her ‘too high’ body mass index may cause problems later on.
They were of the opinion that as the country has a government-funded healthcare system, her weight (128 kgs at the time) may make her a liability and dent the national exchequer.
In an interview with a South African English daily, the woman recounted how the entire ordeal was humiliating for her when complete strangers discussed her body.
According to The Mirror, the woman has never been much bothered by fatphobia or scathing comments on her weight and was even aspiring to make a career as a plus-sized model, but after being refused citizenship, the 36-year-old has no choice but to lose some pounds.
The woman has been granted ‘special dispensation’ period upon her request and has slimmed down considerably, losing 10 BMI points. To meet the standards, she currently works out five days a week but blames fatphobia behind residency request denial.
The mum of two is also gaining attention online on her weight loss journey but has warned followers not to compromise their health and well-being in the pursuit of shedding some pounds.
