Owners of Angelo's Pizza and Grill in Buffalo, NY Settle Sexual Harassment Suit Against Them

Wow, the 3 male owners of Angelo's Pizza & Grill in Buffalo, NY seem to have gotten away with a pretty good deal for a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by 7 female subordinates. They are only paying $35,000 total for all 7 claimants in a settlement with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), who brought the suit on behalf of the 7 females. These females alleged that all 3 male owners sexually harassed them over a 7 to 8-year period, including groping their breasts, grabbing their asses, simulating sex with phallic objects held between their legs, regularly talking about blow jobs and sex, and even locking one in the food cooler and forcibly fondling her in the dark. Gross. They also alleged that 2 of them were fired for complaining about it. Sounds like these pizza boys got off easy! Well, at least these ladies got a little slice of the pie, and (hopefully) the (alleged) pizza perverts did not get the pie they were after!

Angelo's Pizza & Grill Settles EEOC Sexual Harassment Lawsuit for $35,000 - EEOC Press Release

New Trial for Battered Woman in Florida Who Was Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Firing a Warning Shot

An appellate court in Florida has reversed the conviction of Marissa Alexander, An African-American woman who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing a warning shot into the air while being abused by her husband. Apparently there was a major altercation in the home about a week after the couple's child was born, during which Marissa had to lock herself in the bathroom to get away from her husband, who was threatening to kill her that day. He "broke through the door, grabbed her by the neck, and" threw her into the door. She ran into the garage to escape, but she could not get the garage door open. So she grabbed the gun and ran back in. As he threatened to kill her, she fired a warning shot into the air. No one was hurt by the shot.

Meanwhile, convicted rapists are getting 30-day sentences . . . . 15 months at best . . . . .

Marissa pleaded the Stand Your Ground defense, but the defense failed. Instead, the jury convicted her of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and she was sentenced to 20 years because it is the mandatory minimum sentence for gun crimes. Now the appeals court has remanded the case for a new trial because the jury instructions on self defense were erroneous.

Interestingly, the prosecutor who prosecuted Marissa Alexander was the same prosecutor who prosecuted George Zimmerman. Only Zimmerman was acquitted for his role in the altercation which resulted in the actual death of Trayvon Martin.

Marissa Alexander Will Get a New Trial - MSNBC

Florida Woman Given 20 Years For Firing Warning Shot Gets New Trial - nbcnews.com

Zoria Farms/Z Foods of Fresno, CA Sued for Sexually Assaulting, Harassing, and Retaliating Against Workers

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Z Foods, Inc., formerly known as Zoria Farms, Inc., a dried fruit producer based in Fresno/Madera, CA, for sexual assault, sexual harassment, and retaliation. The EEOC claims that multiple supervisors at the company had been sexually abusing numerous female subordinate workers for years, and then fired the workers who refused their sexual demands, and also fired the workers who reported the abuse, and even fired the victims' family members. The complaint also alleges that male employees who stood up for the women and complained about the abuse were also hornswoggled out of a job when the company changed hands. The company is apparently no longer in operation and the phone lines are disconnected. Sounds like their fruit's already dried up.

Calif. Producer Faces Federal Sex Harassment Suit - The Fresno Bee

Fruit Processing Plant Sued for Sexual Assault, Harassment - abclocal.go.com

Zoria Farms and Z Foods Sued by EEOC for Sexual Harassment and Retaliation - EEOC Press Release

Gender Equality Rankings by U.S. State

Here is a really cool compilation of data and infographic which tells us the rankings for all U.S. states in terms of women's equality. The Map incorporates all kinds of different factors, from number of women in political office, to number of women living in poverty, size of the wage gap, pro-choice/anti-choice laws, paid leave laws, number of women in management positions, etc. If you click on the link to explore the data in more detail, you can actually look at each individual factor they analyzed and view all the states by rank on that particular factor. Many of these rankings are no surprise, but there are others which seem inconsistent with my personal experiences . . . . One thing that came as no surprise to me, however, is that the Deep South is not the nation's hub for gender equality! How do your states fare?

Mapping the State of Women in America - Center for American Progress

Jomar/Seko CEO Sued for Sexual Harassment

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued Jomar Transportation, Inc. of Atlanta, GA, doing business as Seko Worldwide, for sexual harassment. The EEOC alleges that the owner and CEO of the company sexually harassed a female manager. Among various other lewd acts, the complaint alleges that this CEO kept a pair of rubber breasts and a jar of vaseline on his desk at work at all times. That was the one that really jumped out at me. Was this for ease-of-harassment purposes I wonder? You know, because you never know when you're going to need to harass someone in a hurry, so you'd better have props at the ready, right? Let's all stay abreast of the legal developments in this case!

Jomar / Seko Worldwide Sued by EEOC for Sexual Harassment - EEOC Press Release

Platinum Oil Company Pays $100,000 in Pregnancy Discrimination Suit

Platinum, PTS, Inc. of Laredo, Texas has settled a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for $100,000. The EEOC alleged that the company fired a female employee after she asked for time off for a miscarriage.

Texas Oil Company Owes $100,000 For Pregnancy Bias - hr.blr.com

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Unanimously Votes Against Autocam Corp. in Obamacare Case

There is another "Obamacare"-and-women's-health-care case going on right now in the Sixth Circuit. In that case, like the Hobby Lobby and Hercules cases in the Tenth Circuit, Autocam Corporation has sued the federal government claiming that The Affordance Health Care Act's new mandate that employers must cover women's health care services as part of their employer-sponsored health insurance plans infringes upon the *corporation's* religious freedom under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

Under the RFRA, *persons* are entitled to worship a religion freely without undue interference by the government. Autocam apparently believes certain reproductive health care services for women (birth control, family planning, pills) are A SIN and against its religion. But one threshold question in all of these 70 or so cases recently filed in federal courts around the country has been: How on Earth is a *corporation* considered a *person* that could actually hold religious beliefs? Well, recently, the 10th Circuit, in the Hobby Lobby and Hercules cases, has answered that question in the affirmative.

UNLIKE the 10th Circuit, however, the 6th Circuit last week UNANIMOUSLY answered that question in the negative. So in the 10th Circuit now, corporations are people for purposes of religious freedom, but in the 6th Circuit, they are NOT. How interesting that two different appellate courts could reach such a different result on the same question around the same time. Here is a copy of the 6th Circuit's opinion:

Autocam Corp. v. United States - 6th Circuit Court of Appeals

More Info on the issue: A Second Federal Appeals Court Rules Against For-Profit in Fight Over Contraception Coverage - RH Reality Check

The 3rd Circuit has also recently sided with the 6th Circuit in holding that corporations are not people and they must provide insurance plans with birth control, and so far the 10th Circuit is officially alone. This is very likely going to be a question for the United States Supreme Court.

Wesleyan University Settles in Title IX Fraternity Rape Lawsuit

There was another Title IX settlement last week in Middleton, Connecticut as well. Wesleyan University settled in a Title IX lawsuit against it, which alleged that the school failed to "supervise, discipline, warn or take other corrective action" against the Beta Theta Pi fraternity after a female student was sexually assaulted at their fraternity house. The lawsuit alleged that the University knew the Beta House, dubbed "The Rape Factory," was a notoriously dangerous place for women and had been the site of multiple previous assaults, but the college failed to take adequate measures to prevent students from future assaults. The survivor, a freshman, did not know about the house's history.

The lawsuit also alleged that the survivor was tormented on campus after the assault by supporters of the Beta House and that the University failed to protect her from this continued harassment and retraumatization. She eventually had to transfer to a different school. The rapist already pleaded guilty last year but received a paltry 15-month prison sentence. Hopefully this courageous survivor will find some peace of mind now that the lawsuit has concluded.

Wesleyan, Frat Settle Conn. Rape Victim's Lawsuit - boston.com

Court Documents Show Settlement In Wesleyan Rape Lawsuit - The Courant

WilcoHess, Operator of Wendy's and Travel Plaza Stores, Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit in Alabama for $215,000

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a lawsuit against WilcoHess, a company that operates more than 400 stores and restaurants, including Wendy's Restaurants and Travel Plaza Stores. The complaint alleges that a district manager at a WilcoHess Wendy's Restaurant and Travel Plaza Store in Tuskogee, Alabama sexually harassed many of his female subordinates and that the company failed to take appropriate action to stop the harassment for years. The company has now settled the case for $215,000.

WilcoHess Settles EEOC Sexual Harassment Lawsuit for $215,000 - EEOC Press Release

Occidental College in L.A. Settles in Title IX Sexual Assault Lawsuit

At least 10 female students at Occidental College in Los Angeles, CA filed a complaint against the college under Title IX of the Civil Rights Act for failing to respond appropriately to their allegations of sexual assault. Although there were only 10 or so plaintiffs in the case, there were at least 37 female students who claimed to have suffered from similar problems with the school. Now, Occidental College and the 10 or so female students have reached a settlement in the case.

Occidental College Settles with Students in Sexual Assault Case - L.A. Times

Colleges and universities who receive federal funding have a legal obligation to protect students from sexual assault under Title IX. Unfortunately, these institutions frequently go to great lengths to silence such allegations and discourage survivors from reporting or pursuing their allegations because of the negative publicity associated with such incidents. The obvious concern is that if potential students find out that a campus is unsafe, they will not want to pay to go to school there. However, a school cannot ignore its obligations under federal civil rights laws in order to advance its own monetary agenda.

There was a landmark case in Colorado a few years ago that made these types of cases easier to pursue. (U. of Colorado at Boulder Settles Lawsuit Over Alleged Rapes at Football Recruiting Party for $2.85 Million - titleix.info.) But they still remain very challenging cases. This is probably one of the few cases of this kind that has actually turned out well for the survivors. Congratulations to them.

EEOC Sues Triple T Foods in Arkansas for Pregnancy Discrimination

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued Triple T Foods, a pet food processor in Springdale, Arkansas, for pregnancy discrimination. The complaint alleges that the company fired a female lab technician just hours after finding out she was pregnant.

EEOC Sues Triple T Foods for Pregnancy Discrimination - EEOC Press Release

Lawsuit: Springdale Plant Worker Fired Because Of Pregnancy - 5newsonline.com

Jury Verdict Upheld for Female Firefighter in Florida

A female firefighter in Florida has won her appeal.  She was at one point the only female firefighter in the New Smyrna Beach Fire Department, that is, until the Department fired her after she complained about sexual harassment. Seven months ago, she won her federal jury trial against the City of New Smyrna Beach, and the jury awarded her $444,000 for discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation. The City moved to invalidate the jury's verdict, but the trial judge upheld the verdict. The City has now appealed to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to overturn the judge's ruling. Meanwhile, the judge has ordered the City to reinstate the plaintiff to her former job.

Judge Denies New Smyrna's Appeal in Female Firefighter Sexual Harassment Case - Daytona Beach News-Journal

Here is a copy of last year's summary judgment ruling which provides some of the disgusting facts of the case:

SMITH v. CITY OF NEW SMYRNA BEACH - Leagle

To summarize, her supervisors told her the Department normally only hires men. They told her women should be "in the kitchen." They told her "women should not be in the fire service" and it was up to her "to prove otherwise." They covered her training manuals with cutouts from Cosmo Magazine. They called her "kid" and "girl." They questioned her about being a single mom and talked to her about her "mothering role." They told her they wanted her to get pregnant so she could be their secretary. They assigned her to babysit their kids and scrub the toilets and the urinals at the fire station. They told her if she ever brought tampons to work again she would be suspended. They disciplined her for using cuss words twice when all the male firefighters cussed on a regular basis because they told her "a lady should not talk like that." One firefighter told her she was hot and beautiful and that he wanted to bend her over. He sent her a picture of his penis. They told her it would make her "career very tough" if she filed a harassment complaint.

Yes, these things really do happen all the time, in the 21st Century!! Congratulations to this brave woman, her attorney, the jury, and the judge for a just result.

EEOC Sues Newport News Industrial Corp. for Firing Female Employee After She Complained About Gender Discrimination

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued Newport News Industrial Corporation for retaliating against a female employee by firing her after she complained about gender discrimination. Newport News Industrial is headquartered in Newport News, VA, but these events took place at the Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant in Southport, NC. EEOC filed suit in NC.

EEOC Sues Newport News Industrial Corporation for Unlawful Retaliation - EEOC Press Release

Female Police Officer in Pennsylvania Sues for Harassment and Discrimination

A female police officer in Mount Oliver, PA has sued the police department there for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and other claims. She was the only female officer on the force in Mount Oliver. The lawsuit alleges that this officer was bullied and sexually harassed for years. She alleges she was barged in the bathroom by a male officer, and the department refused to put a working lock on the door to prevent this from happening. She alleges that instead of putting a lock on the bathroom door as requested (so they wouldn't keep catching her with her pants down), they assigned her to clean the bathrooms. You know, because lady cops are really just maids. There are many other allegations too, but I thought the bathroom-barging was interesting. She must not have been doing a good enough job cleaning the toilets, because they allegedly denied her promotions and ultimately fired her after that. Wow, tough place to be a lady cop.

Woman Who Was Only Female Mount Oliver Police Officer Sues Claiming Discrimination - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Call Out Your Next Creepy Street Harasser on Craigslist!

Here's one way to talk back to someone who harasses you on the street: write him a "Missed Connections" ad on craigslist. That's what this woman did, and it is pretty entertaining. This has happened to me many times too, and we probably all know the anger and frustration of imagining what you would have said, should have said, could have said, if we had actually said something back in a situation like that--if we would have thought of a clever comeback in time. Well this woman put her clever comeback on craigslist. Who knows if the pervy harasser will ever find it or read it, but other people sure are reading it, and hopefully it sends a powerful message.

Amazing Craigslist “Missed Connections” Calls Out Creepy Street Harasser - Salon

A Call for More Women Judges (in the Context of the Health Care Cases)

Here's an articulate plea out of Denver for more women judges. The piece draws some intriguing parallels between "Obamacare" and women's rights. Currently, about 30% of federal judges nationwide are women (thanks in part to Obama, who has appointed far more women judges to the federal bench than any other President in U.S. history, despite Congress's refusal to approve many of them), and in Colorado it's 27%. And in the U.S. Court of Appeals (10th Circuit, which includes Colorado), it's only 10%.

There are two cases currently pending, one in federal district court in Colorado, and the other in the 10th Circuit, which deal with "Obamacare's" requirement that businesses cover reproductive health care services for women as part of their health care plans. The intent of this requirement was to eliminate the gender discrimination inherent in excluding certain health services for women, as such exclusions have an obviously disparate impact on women. Two companies, Hobby Lobby and Hercules Industries, are challenging this requirement as unconstitutional because it goes against their religious beliefs (presumably the belief that reproductive health care is evil or a sin, presuming that a corporation is a "person" who can actually hold religious beliefs (?)) and they should therefore not be required to pay for this type of health care. Interesting issues.

According to this writer, if there were more women on the federal bench deciding these types of cases, maybe those judges would be more likely to rule in favor of women's rights because they understand the importance of these services. Not sure if I agree that a judge would be more likely to rule one way or the other on a constitutional issue just because she is a woman, but still, it's something to think about.

We Need More Female Judges - Denver Post

For the law geeks, here is the recent appellate opinion on the injunction issues in the Hobby Lobby case which concludes that for-profit corporations are indeed "persons" who can hold religious beliefs (pages 25-35 of the opinion):

Hobby Lobby v. United States - 10th Circuit Court of Appeals

EEOC Sues Midway Neurological & Rehabilitation Center for Pregnancy Discrimination and Retaliation

The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued Midway Neurological & Rehabilitation Center (located in the Chicago area) for pregnancy discrimination and retaliation. EEOC alleges that the company cut the hours of one of its social workers after finding out she was pregnant and then later fired her for complaining about it, during her maternity leave. These allegations, if proven, are violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

EEOC Sues Midway Neurological & Rehabilitation Center for Pregnancy Discrimination and Retaliation - EEOC Press Release

Sacramento County, CA Sued for Sexual Harassment

Two former government employees have sued the county in Sacramento, CA, alleging that their boss sexually harassed them for years and the county failed to respond appropriately to their complaints. Here's an interesting bit about the story: California has some of the toughest sexual harassment laws in the country. California requires all employers with 50 or more employees to put their supervisors and managers through sexual harassment training every two years. But THIS guy at the County (allegedly) continued to sexually harass his subordinate employees DURING the required sexual harassment training! Maybe you really can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Public Eye: Sacramento County Fights Sexual Harassment Claim - The Sacramento Bee

Owner of KFC Restaurant in Tennessee Sued for Sexual Harassment

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has sued Memphis Foods LLC, the corporation that owns a KFC restaurant in Tennessee, for sexual harassment. (Of course many huge corporations have separate corporations that own the actual restaurants, and then these separate corporations are the ones that get sued when something goes wrong.) The complaint alleges that a 54-year-old manager sexually harassed a 16-year-old girl, both verbally and physically, and then the restaurant fired the girl within a couple weeks after she finally reported the harassment. Finger-lickin'-NOT-so-good.

EEOC Sues Jonesboro Business for Sexual Harassment - KAIT8.com

EEOC Sues Memphis Foods for Sexual Harassment of 16-Year-Old Female Employee - EEOC Press Release

Would Having More Women in Office Reduce Sexual Harassment?

Here is a great piece about local politics in San Diego and the Bob Filner sexual harassment scandal going on there. The fact that such egregious harassment could go on for so long in a political office raises a larger question about the gender dynamics in such environments. The statistics this article quotes are 19% as the number of women in Congress and 23% as the number of women in political office at the statewide level across the country (and of course 51% is the number of women in the general population). Interestingly, that number was 28% at one point but has been declining for the past 12 years.

This writer, Jamie Quient, observes: "More women at the top would help end the culture of silence that enables sexual harassment to go unreported and unaddressed." Quient also notes how difficult it can be for women to come forward about harassment "when the person harassing you controls your livelihood and can shape your professional reputation." Amen to that! I completely agree with this assessment. If there were more women in leadership positions, not only would bosses be less likely to sexually harass their subordinates, but the subordinates would also would have more superiors they felt comfortable talking to about harassment if in fact they were being harassed. Thanks to Donna Frye for her courageous act of coming forward in San Diego and to Jamie Quient for this great article.

San Diego Needs More Donna Fryes - Voice of San Diego

Virginia Tech Pays $155,000 to Settle Pay Discrimination Case

Interesting legal chronology in this case: Plaintiff goes all the way through a jury trial, a jury of her peers finds in her favor on BOTH claims, and THEN the judge decides unilaterally to TOSS OUT the jury decision because he did not agree with it, tossing out one claim completely and ordering a new trial on the other claim. I'm not sure what basis the judge had for this, but undermining a jury verdict like that seems entirely unAmerican to me. So the Plaintiff has to go ALL THE WAY through a SECOND jury trial, in which the second jury finds against her on the one remaining claim and she loses, and then all the way through an appeal in which the appeals court reverses the second jury's finding against her and reinstates her one remaining claim--none of which would have happened if the judge would not have gone against the original jury in the first place. What a headache!

Virginia Tech Settles Lawsuit Over Retaliation - Times Dispatch

California Finally Overturns 1872 Law Which Allowed for Rape While Impersonating the Victim's Significant Other

Good news out of California: It is now illegal to rape someone even if you are impersonating their boyfriend. I think I know what you're thinking. "What? Wasn't this already against the law?" Nope, not in California. Apparently there was still some 19th Century loophole lingering on the books that said it was illegal to rape someone if you are impersonating their husband during the rape, but if you are just impersonating their boyfriend, then it is okay. This actually led to the acquittal of a rapist who even admitted to raping the woman, but because he was impersonating her boyfriend, and because she was not married to the person the rapist was impersonating, he was innocent! Huh?? Well, in any case, it's all against the law now. Live and learn, California! Let's hope that guy does not do it again--or wait, let's hope he does, because this time he will actually be guilty. :)

California Finally Overturns Its 1872 Law Denying Justice For Unmarried Rape Victims - Think Progress

The Reality of Second Generation Sexism in the Working World

I'm glad to see someone finally discussing second-generation gender bias in the context of all the recent equal pay discussions. Why in so many different professions do women start out in equal numbers to men at entry level, but when you get to the top you see they have almost all dropped off the path to advancement? According to this article, it's because the path to advancement "is often interrupted for a simple reason: when women display leadership behaviors we consider normative in men, we see them as unfeminine. When women act more feminine, we don’t see them as leaders." This is the classic double bind that is the heart of second generation sexism. Either way, we lose. It is sexism reinforcing itself. Circular reasoning.

Studies also show women do not receive the same desirable or lucrative projects or assignments that would allow for advancement within a company. And women don't have the same opportunities for mentorship by leaders at the top. These vicious cycles are simply the reality of sexism reinforcing itself, again and again.

Ambitious Women Face More Obstacles Than Just Work-Life Balance - Harvard Business Review

Miss Kansas Kicks Ass!

WOW, check out Miss Kansas this year in the Miss America Pageant! Normally, I don't go for things like beauty pageants, and arguably they are inherently sexist. Period. (Are there male beauty pageants? No, not really in the same way, although there are of course male body building competitions. Mr. Universe, anyone?) But this year's Miss Kansas might just turn beauty on its head and stir up a few controversies along the way. This bombshell is a sergeant in the Army, an expert in archery, a boxer, a motorcycle racer, a skydiver, heavily and openly tattooed, in recovery (note the large serenity prayer tattoo on her right rib cage), a Chemistry and Chinese double major, an advocate for young girls, AND an aspiring dentist (note: NOT hygienist).

In this Huff Post article, Theresa Vail discusses how she was inspired by her experiences with being bullied as a child. She says, "It got so bad that I nearly took my own life. . . . My dad took me hunting with him and it saved my life. Ever since then, I've been an outdoors girl. My passion is empowering girls through male-dominated outdoor sports."

Still, she IS stereotypically bleach blonde and super skinny/petite, and she still has that Army-Barbie-with-all-archery-accessories-included air about her. Perhaps I will actually tune in this year and see if there is some substance behind this message. It would be awesome if she could inspire young girls to be badasses, like Katniss Everdine, but a real life shero!

Theresa Vail, Miss America Contestant, Is a Badass You Should Know About - Huffington Post

Burping and Ball-Scratching My Way to Gender Equality

Here is a VERY interesting bit about the gender dynamics of body language. This seems like a given when you think about it, but it becomes more interesting as you CONTINUE to think about it, peeling back the layers of sexism in each assumption, stereotype, and movement of your body. In essence, the movements and postures we typically identify as "feminine" are really just submissive. Conversely, "masculine" body language is really just domineering and/or empowering. However, that does NOT mean the TRULY feminine IS submissive or that the TRULY masculine IS dominant. Although female and submission are not actually synonymous, nor are male and domination, we have nonetheless conflated these two distinct realities in our bodyminds and body memories by literally acting out gender inequality each time we take a step. WOW. Trippy.

Researchers realized this when they discovered that MEN who are ordinarily "masculine" in their movements become more "feminine" when interacting with bosses or other authority figures. Of course, they are still men with the same levels of testosterone et al, but as they act out their feelings of submissiveness or inferiority in a given situation, they associate those feelings with typically "feminine" body language. Studies also revealed that the bigger your car is, the more likely you are to drive in a typically "masculine" or domineering fashion. Well, everyone who's been cut off by a giant SUV (a.k.a. everyone) already knows that.

Gender and the Body Language of Power - Sociological Images

Gender and the Body Language of Power - Jezebel

Now we can see why some men become defensive or indignant when women defy these norms by not crossing their legs, not being "ladylike," etc. Who cares, right? Well, it's because it's about more than that. They take it personally because it strikes at the very heart of their perceived superiority over half of the human population.

So, in sum, gender equality really does start one fart, burp, and curse word at a time. I've always been a firm believer in that. It's about time everyone else caught up!! :-p Take it from someone who is truly Feminine. :-)

8-Year-Old Girl in Yemen Raped and Murdered in the Name of "Marriage"

I try to keep it positive here on Lady Justice Law Blog, BUT this story is definitely an exception. In fact, it's so NOT positive that it made me sick to my stomach. Still, it's worth raising awareness. What is it REALLY going to take to put a stop to child rape and murder which is done, sanctioned, and perpetuated all in the name of culture and tradition? I'm all for culture and tradition, but some things are just WRONG no matter who or where you are. YUCK.

Bride Aged 8 Dies After Suffering Internal Sexual Injuries During Wedding Night With Man, 40 - Huffington Post UK

Ever Feel Like Putting a Giant Sticker on the Back of your Truck that Makes it Look Like You are Kidnapping a Woman?? Me too!! (NOT.)

Here's a fun one. Imagine the marketing and creative meetings going on at this company: "Hey, I got an idea! Let's make a tailgate decal of a woman tied up and kidnapped in the back of a truck so everyone who drives a truck can feel like they are kidnapping a woman, and everyone driving behind them will also think they are kidnapping a woman. People love kidnapping women! And it's SOO funny, too!" Do you think the vote in that meeting was unanimous, or . . . ? Oopsies, guess some people didn't think it was that funny.

Company in Texas Fails Hard with Tailgate Decal of Bound Woman - Jezebel

New Program, "Increasing Women's Political Participation and Dialogue Opportunities in Afghanistan," Aims to Increase Female Voter Turnout and Encourage Women to Run for Office in Afghanistan

The Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the Asia Foundation are sponsoring this promising new political program for women in Afghanistan, and the UK is funding it. This is fantastic news, but will it actually work? I hope so.

Asia Foundation and Independent Election Commission (IEC) Launch “Increasing Women’s Political Participation and Dialogue Opportunities in Afghanistan” - The Asia Foundation

Multi-Million Dollar Program Announced to Support Afghan Women's Political Participation - Feminist Majority Foundation

Multi-Million Dollar Program Announced to Support Afghan Women's Political Participation - Ms. Magazine

Surprisingly though, about 39% of the voters in the 2010 Afghan Parliamentary election were women, and women already hold 28% of the Parliamentary seats! These stats are better than America's! To wit: Women hold about 18% of Congressional seats and 20% of Senate seats in the U.S.

Facts on Women in Congress - Rutgers University

(Takeaway: Don't believe the hype.?)

University of Maryland at College Park Implements New Sexual Violence Intervention and Prevention Program

Here is some good news about sexual assault prevention from the University of Maryland-College Park. UMD is launching a new sexual assault prevention program on campus. The program will educate incoming freshmen about sexual assault awareness and bystander intervention techniques. Although this is only a pilot program to be tested on some students, the University will soon vote on whether to expand the program to all students.

Perhaps the best thing about this program is that one single individual sexual assault survivor was responsible for getting this program in place, which just goes to show you that one person really can have a voice AND make a difference. Hats off to UMD and to that one brave survivor! I hope other campuses will follow UMD's fine example.

Sexual Assault Prevention Pilot Course Implemented for Fall - The Diamondback

UMD Set to Launch Sexual Assault Prevention Program - Feminist Majority Foundation

UMD Set to Launch Sexual Assault Prevention Program - Ms. Magazine

Harvard Business School Tackles Gender Inequality

In this in-depth article, former female students of the Harvard Business School discuss the unbelievably sexist environment they survived. They recall it was even worse than the sexist environments at the financial companies on Wall Street (like BoA/Merrill Lynch). Male students would haze them, threaten them, and all of this was allowed by the school. The biggest problem was the dramatic gap in academic performance between men and women, because women lived in an environment where they were afraid to speak up, and class participation was 50% of the grade. (Test scores, on the other hand, were comparable.)

Things finally changed when Harvard finally hired a female President for the first time ever. The school started holding things like "Hand Raising Seminars," teaching women how to be more assertive in class. When the school finally began to focus on equality and helping women feel safe and succeed, poof! The academic gap disappeared.

Harvard Business School Case Study: Gender Equity - New York Times

Bank of America Pays Out $39 Million for Gender Discrimination

Bank of America (BoA) has settled the gender discrimination case filed against it for $39 million. The suit was brought by about 4,800 female brokers and financial advisors who worked for both BoA and Merrill Lynch (which BoA acquired). What a huge settlement! Sadly, it's probably just a drop in the bucket for Behemoth BoA.

Bank of America to Pay $39 Million in Gender Bias Case - New York Times

Bank of America Settles Gender Bias Suit - Washington Post

Female Police Officer Sues in Nevada for Sexual Harassment

The Nevada Capitol Police in Carson City have been sued for sexual harassment and discrimination. The Plaintiff has named five male police officers in the suit, all of whom she alleges have harassed her because of her gender, both sexually and otherwise. She claims they told her she should be a stay-at-home mom or get a job at McDonald's. She is one of only four women on the police force there. As if it wasn't a tough enough job already--for anyone. Well now the male officers are on administrative leave. And you know what that means . . . they get to be stay-at-home moms!

Nevada Capitol Police Targeted in Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Harassment, Discrimination - Daily Journal

Janet Yellen in Line to Become America's First Female Chair of the Federal Reserve

The two finalists for the new Chair of the Federal Reserve are: Janet Yellen, a woman--and NO woman has EVER been appointed to this position before; and Larry Summers, a man who is not only grossly incompetent for the job (you know, one of what the French would call "Les Incompetents"), but he is also a blatant sexist. He has been quoted as saying women are intrinsically bad at science and engineering. President Obama has just a few more weeks to make his appointment. Let's hope he makes the right choice and hires the most qualified person for the job: Janet Yellen.

The Case for Janet Yellen Gets Stronger Every Day - Huffington Post

Lego Improves Long-Standing Gender Bias of Figurines Collection by Introducing Female Scientist

Here is an informative but long-winded piece about the gender bias of Lego Figurines and other toys. I completely agree on at least this one point about toys: Why do all toys made for girls these days have to be all pink and frilly? Why can't they just make toys for kids? It's as if they think girls are innately incapable of enjoying toys unless they have pink bows on them. When I was a little girl, I enjoyed our regular sets of legos, tinker toys, Lincoln Logs, blocks, etc. There was nothing pink about them.

Breaking Brick Stereotypes: LEGO Unveils a Female Scientist - Scientific American

Snow Hill, Maryland Liquor Control Board Settles Pay Discrimination Suit

The Liquor Control Board in Snow Hill, Worcester County, Maryland, has settled with three former female employees who sued the Board for pay discrimination. I'll drink to that!

Worcester County Settles Gender Pay Claim; Women to be Compensated - delmarvanow.com

Worcester County Will Pay $60,000 to Resolve EEOC Pay Discrimination Lawsuit - EEOC Press Release

Is NASA Discriminating Against Female Astronauts by Setting Lower Radiation Thresholds for Women?

Some female astronauts would say so.

Well, you know what they say: "One small step for MAN, one giant leap for MANkind." But what happens when a WOMAN wants to take a step, too? She is told that her body is not designed to handle radiation in the way that a man's is, so it's more dangerous for her to go into space. This is basically what NASA is telling female astronauts, and as a result, they are denied equal opportunities in the workplace.

Female Astronauts Said To Face Discrimination Over NASA's Space Radiation Concerns - Huffington Post

NASA claims women cannot handle as much radiation exposure as men, and they claim this is based on NASA's own physiological models. Apparently though, these models are based on 1945 data from Hiroshima:

Female Astronauts Face Discrimination from Space Radiation Concerns, Astronauts Say - Space.com

1945 data that has nothing to do with outer space, wow! Pretty scientific, huh?

NASA also claims that it is merely following the limits set by the National Council of Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP). As it turns out, these limits are set at about 20% lower for women, which results in a 45-50% percent loss of professional opportunities for women astronauts!

NASA claims the levels are set differently because of the risk of breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer in women. Okay, but aren't there several kinds of cancers that occur only in men as well?

Whether or not this is actually a legitimate biological difference between men and women (tolerance to radiation exposure, that is) is, I suppose, something only NASA and NCRP can know (?). I'm not a scientist, but it seems like a pretty strange notion to me that women's bodies are innately less evolutionarily equipped to handle radiation. It would make sense to me if you were talking about pregnant women, but you know many women never become pregnant! By choice! So that would not apply. Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to sign up for that much radiation. But if someone wants to make that choice, I say don't stop them just because of their gender.

United States Sues New York Company Vamco Sheet Metals for Sex Discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) of the United States Government has sued Vamco Sheet Metals of New York on behalf of female sheet metal workers for treating those workers differently than their male counterparts because of their sex. The EEOC alleges that the company fired the female employees after they sought help from the union for unequal treatment, which treatment included assigning them to demeaning tasks like fetching the bosses' coffee, counting the time they spent in the bathroom, and denying them the right to pump breast milk. Good luck to these courageous women!

EEOC Sues Company Over Firing of Female Sheet Metal Workers - Business Insurance

Rivers Executive Philip Goodman Settles Sexual Harassment Case in Australia

In a sexual harassment suit brought against Philip Goodman of Melbourne, Australia by one of his female subordinate employees, Goodman just decided to settle in the middle of trial, right before two additional female subordinate employees were about to testify against him by talking about how he did basically the same thing to them. Good looking out, ladies!

Rivers Boss Philip Goodman Settles Sexual Harassment Case - Melbourne Herald Sun

New Mobile Apps for Reporting Sexual Harassment

So there is a new mobile app in India called Safetipin that allows people to report sexual harassment with the simple touch of an icon. It sounds like it's being piloted by female students at Jamia Millia Islamia (University). Interesting idea, but as a practical matter, how does it work logistically, and what does it accomplish? Perhaps the thinking is that it will increase the rate of reporting because people will be able to report in privacy and not face the fear or shame of talking to someone face to face? But eventually, they would still have to talk to someone about it, right? During an investigation? And who would they be reporting it to, and what would that person or entity do about it?

It also allows witnesses to report harassment or assaults, but if a criminal assault occurred, then wouldn't the witnesses just call the police? Isn't that who would be receiving the mobile app reports in the first place? I don't know, I'm kinda confused by this. It does look like the app provides a variety of neighborhood and community information and resources, which could be helpful, especially if a victim of harassment was afraid to ask someone for help. Maybe they're onto something! Perhaps this is just a desperate plea for better P.R. in India after all the recent rape debacles. If it proves effective though, I wonder if such an app will make its way to the U.S. and elsewhere.

Mobile App to Help Girls Report Sexual Harassment - Jagran Post

Mobile App to Help Girls Facing Sexual Threats - DNA India

Ah, okay, this article below says a similar app was already launched in New York 10-12 days earlier:

Now, Smartphone App to Report Sexual Harassment - The Indian Express

And here is the scoop on the American app now available in New York City only, called Hollaback, which was released by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, as part of her campaign for mayor:

Christine Quinn unveils Smartphone App Hollaback That Allows Sexual Harassment Victims to Report Incidents - New York Daily News

This article says the reports go to the City Council and the mayor. It will be interesting to see if these apps actually increase the rate of reporting, the rate of accountability, or reduce or prevent harassment in the future.

California School District Superintendent Michael Gonzales Sued for Sexual Harassment

Linden Unified School District Superintendent Michael Gonzales has been sued for sexual harassment by a school principal and an HR administrator.  Sounds like the Sup's about to get 'schooled.'

Lawsuit Targets Ex-school Official, District - Recordnet.com