According to a British employment tribunal, calling a man ‘bald’ is now considered sexual harassment. It is on the same lines as commenting on a woman’s breasts.
Calling a man bald qualifies as sexual harassment
Calling a man ‘bald’ equals sexual harassment as per a British employment tribunal ruling. The ruling is based on the fact that hair loss is more common in men. According to it, commenting on a man’s baldness is similar to remarking on the size of a woman’s breast. This is because it can be ‘inherently related to sex’ which amounts to discrimination.
The ruling was following a case between Tony Finn, an electrician, and his manufacturing firm employers. Finn had worked for the British Bung Company, based in West Yorkshire for about 24 years. However, he lost his job in May 2021.
After being fired the 64-year-old complained to the tribunal and claimed that he was unfairly dismissed and was a victim of sexual assault. He alleged that during an incident in 2019 involving Jamie King, a factory supervisor he was treated unfairly. King called him a “bald c***”. Upon complaining, the firm fired Finn instead, claiming intimidation.Â
More on the ruling
The panel that included Judge Jonathan Brain, Keith Lannaman, and David Dorman debated whether remarking on his baldness was disrespectful or harassment. “This is strong language. Although, as we find, industrial language was commonplace on this West Yorkshire factory floor, in our judgment Mr. King crossed the line by making remarks personal to the claimant about his appearance”, stated the panel. They strongly believe that the remark’s purpose was to violate Finn’s dignity.
Additionally, when the company contended that women can also be bald, the panel said that it is more prevalent in men than women. Moreover, the panel said that the comment was made “on purpose” and was related to the claimant’s sex. According to the ruling, Finn will also receive compensation, though the amount had not yet been determined.
