When Your Boss Refers to Your “Honkers,” It’s Not Sexist. It’s “Trivial.”
Same goes for when he tells you that women should be at home cleaning floors, according to a judgment this week by a UK tribunal. It came after two women filed a lawsuit against their former employer, Nomura, a Japanese bank, alleging that their bosses had referred to their breasts as “honkers,” said women belong at home cleaning floors, and that the key to cheating on your wife was “not getting caught.” The tribunal ruled:
“Dignity is not necessarily violated by things said or done which are trivial or transitory, particularly where it is clear that no offence was intended. The comment made by a trader that women should be at home cleaning floors does not in isolation amount to an act of sex discrimination.”
Everything about this article is depressing. Check out the caption, beneath a photo of the women:
Case dismissed: Anna Francis, left, and Maureen Murphy had claimed £1.5m each for hurt feelings
Yes, that seems like a lot of money to ask for. But “hurt feelings”? Enduring comments like this from your bosses amount to a lot more than mere “hurt feelings.” It gets worse though. One of many horrifying comments:
Women wanted equality in a man’s world so if they can’t cope stay by the kitchen sink. - Sue, Kent, 16/04/2010 09:01
Ugh. Just, ugh.
