Fox News -It's Only "Bad Language", Not Sexual Harassment

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MrsSpringsteen

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Sounds like harassment to me..so it's OK to use so called "bad language" as long as you don't touch or make sexual advances? :eyebrow:


http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6282311.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP

The complaint contains a list of statements alleged to have been made by network vice president Joe Chillemi to employees in the 20-person department, roughly one-half of whom are women.

According to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in New York:

--Chillemi routinely used gross obscenities and vulgarities when describing women or their body parts (referring, for example, to women’s breasts as “tits” and declaring that something was “as useless as tits on a bull”).

--He routinely used obscenities and vulgarities with women employees that he did not use with male employees (such as telling women that they had put his “d--k” “on the chopping block”).

--Chillemi routinely cursed at and otherwise denigrated women employees and treated them in a demeaning way (including telling women not to be a “p--sy” but to “be a man”, and referring to women as being a “bitch”).

--He made a number of derogatory comments about pregnant women (such as regularly stating that a pregnant woman had “tits” that were “f---ing huge” and like “cannons” or “melons” and the on-air talent’s breasts needed to be “covered” or not shown when the pregnant woman was being filmed).

--In addition, at a department discussion about a segment on sexism in the workplace, Chillemi said that in choosing who to hire “if it came down between a man or a woman, of course I’d pick the man. The woman would most likely get pregnant and leave.”

--Women in the Fox Advertising and Promotions departments supervised by Chillemi were also referred to in a derogatory way by a supervisor as his “Promo Girls.”

The suit more broadly charges that Fox has discriminated against Weiler and an other female promotions employees by assigning women primarily to freelance positions with less benefits, less advancement potential and less job security and not appropriately assigning women to full staff positions.
 
MrsSpringsteen said:
--In addition, at a department discussion about a segment on sexism in the workplace, Chillemi said that in choosing who to hire “if it came down between a man or a woman, of course I’d pick the man. The woman would most likely get pregnant and leave.”

How is this not sexism? Harrassment I don't know, but illegal I would hope so. Don't we have laws in place regarding hiring? Seems like a pretty straightforward thing to me.
 
MrsSpringsteen said:
In addition, at a department discussion about a segment on sexism in the workplace, Chillemi said that in choosing who to hire “if it came down between a man or a woman, of course I’d pick the man. The woman would most likely get pregnant and leave.”

This, and this alone, is precisely what you want to eliminate with employment laws. Fox should fire him on this statement alone.

As for the rest of his poor management style and foul language, I'd hate such a lawsuit to suggest that men can tolerate hearing foul language, but women cannot.
 
MrsSpringsteen said:

--In addition, at a department discussion about a segment on sexism in the workplace, Chillemi said that in choosing who to hire “if it came down between a man or a woman, of course I’d pick the man. The woman would most likely get pregnant and leave.”

My Advertising and PR course prof used to be in sales for AT&T/Lucent and when she was pregnant the first time, one of her male co-workers walked right up to her and said "wow Pam, you're sure getting fat!" :rolleyes: Too bad that guy was the department loser and my prof. was one of the best sales people, with children or otherwise.
 
nbcrusader said:
As for the rest of his poor management style and foul language, I'd hate such a lawsuit to suggest that men can tolerate hearing foul language, but women cannot.
So would I, and we've certainly seen plenty of lawsuits that suggest that, but I'm not sure that applies here. It sounds like this complaint specifically locates much of that "foul language" in the context of unequal treatment of male and female employees--i.e., the female employees are being singled out as an audience for the airing of their VP's hostile (to women) views.
--He routinely used obscenities and vulgarities with women employees that he did not use with male employees (such as telling women that they had put his “d--k” “on the chopping block”).

--Chillemi routinely cursed at and otherwise denigrated women employees and treated them in a demeaning way (including telling women not to be a “p--sy” but to “be a man”, and referring to women as being a “bitch”).

Do you take issue a priori with the concept of a hostile workplace environment?
 
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There's foul language,and there's foul language that's sexist and demeaning and constitutes a hostile work environment.

What is the need to use language like that in a work environment? It's unnecessary and crude, not to mention completely unprofessional. I would consider language like that to be harassing. Especially in the context of unequal treatment.
 
yolland said:
Do you take issue a priori with the concept of a hostile workplace environment?

The concept of a hostile workplace is imperfectly defined. Not all bad acts are punished and those with legitimate claims of being targeted may not be able to establish a claim because of their gender. I would prefer a system that targeted bad acts consistently.
 
When I was a clerical temp, I had a potty-mouthed boss at one of my jobs. Literally every third word out of his mouth was an obscenity. Whether he was talking to clients on the phone or talking to employees, it was s*** this and f*** that and g**d*** the other. I'm no prude, but it was very unpleasant to have to hear an unending stream of vulgarity. Then they had the nerve to tell my temp agency that I had a "bad attitude". Well, how am I supposed to be Little Mary Sunshine while hearing that filth all day?!

This guy in the news story is worse. When a boss says something like this:

Offensive remarks attributed to Chillemi include saying that a pregnant woman had "tits" like "cannons"

That IS sexual harrassment. I don't care what legal spin you put on it, he was making a crude remark about a woman's body. This sort of behavior is extremely off-putting and unprofessional and makes for a very uncomfortable working environment. This jerk should have been fired long ago, and made to take sensitivity training classes as well.
 
:eyebrow: Do cretins like that really still exist? And if so, why not hold his boss/bosses responsible? I mean, is it even conceivable that anyone in upper management would support the idea of this guy being in any kind of supervisory position knowing the rate at which today's society pursues lawsuits???? Why would you create such a liability for yourself?

And while absolutely unprofessional, crass, crude and vile, I wouldn't consider his comments so much harrassment as simply insulting and terribly revealing of his low intelligence. :huh:

Regardless, I'm soo thankful I don't work in that kind of atmosphere! :yikes:
 
Pregnant women get offended all the time, and by people with nothing but good intentions. I am going to bet that statistically, some of you guys in here offend without even knowing. Ever exclaimed to a pregnant friend "gosh, you're getting big now!" Ever stopped to consider just how chuffed that might make her feel? Trust me, it happens almost daily when pregnant. It's highly insulting. Ever rubbed or laid your hand on a pregnant friend's stomach without asking? If you have, there's a good chance your friend was probably wishing to punch you at the time.

Does anyone find it particularly easier to comment on a thinner person than a larger framed person? Would anyone think twice if a friendly and well meaning boss made a small joke about the cold and someone's slight frame being greatly affected, and call that an inappropriate workplace comment?

I think we all have elements of this in us somewhere. I believe the best people even get it wrong. It's easy to point at blatantly rude people like this fellow, but I wonder how often we do this without even realising.
 
do you say tits and pussy very often angela....?
women have to work ....and this guy, although he sounds like a diamond in the rough,(not) needs to find work more suitable...
maybe do some voice overs for the porn industry or somefink.
sounds like he hates his job and is making his subordinates hate it too ,
 
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There are also ways people can hurt you without saying a word, sometimes when I get really down about it I would almost rather hear crap like that. Not really of course but..

There are subtle methods of harassment that hurt and humiliate you that really aren't all that subtle at all.
 
it just makes me crazy ...cuz most women dont like to stir up trouble and arent confrontational - and least of all ,feel as if they have a voice.
 
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