More proof that no one, not even a top-notch fiction writer, could make this stuff up ~ ~ Sooz

Iowa Supreme Court OKs firing attractive people
By Steve Benen - Fri Jul 12, 2013 3:47 PM EDT

This one's a doozy.


Let's recap the basics of what happened. James Knight, a married Iowa dentist, employed Melissa Nelson, who is two decades his junior, and who is also married. Nelson showed no interest in a romantic relationship and did not make any advances towards her boss.

She was nevertheless fired, not because Nelson was bad at her job, but because Knight said he might be tempted to have an extramarital affair with her, and in fact, made unrequited advances. In other words, the dentist, with his wife's encouragement, fired his assistant so he wouldn't be tempted to pursue a woman who'd expressed no romantic interest in him.

The Iowa Supreme Court, made up entirely of male justices, said that's legal because it wasn't technically gender discrimination -- Knight didn't fire Nelson because she's a woman; he fired her because he found her attractive. Indeed, as part of Knight's defense, his lawyers noted Nelson was replaced by a different woman (whom he presumably found less pretty), which helped prove that he wasn't motivated by misogyny.

From a distance, it certainly looks like another step backwards for workplace gender equity.

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/12/19441112-iowa-supreme-court-oks-firing-attractive-people?lite

Obviously the dentist and his wife are very insecure in their marriage. Pathetic of the Supreme Court to have the same mentality.

It's the same mentality that many suffer from regarding abortion or that plaques women who report harrassment/rapes. It's always the woman's fault, whether it's her looks, the way she dresses or if she becomes pregnant. Yet, many women are harassed, raped and get pregnant who are not young or "good looking". I've never understood that disconnect in thoughts regarding men's behavior.

What do people really think when an unattractive or elderly woman is harassed or raped? They certainly can't use the "she asked for it by being pretty/dressing slutty" defense in their tiny brains. It's ONLY when the woman is young and/or beautiful that you EVER hear that mentioned. When a woman gets pregnant accidentally, it's her fault for not using protection/bc. The man is merely a brainless sperm donor.

Are we to believe that men are creatures driven solely by their biological urges, with no brains? That, somehow, it's ok when the woman is pretty and dresses provocatively because they can't help themselves? Not only is it ok, but it's the woman's fault?

We, as a species, really haven't progressed as much as we'd like to pretend, have we?

She was nevertheless fired, not because Nelson was bad at her job, but because Knight said he might be tempted to have an extramarital affair with her, and in fact, made unrequited advances.

Nelson can now sue Knight for sexual harrassment since he has already admitted it in court.