Calling a man 'bald' is sexual harassment – Court rules

The man, a veteran electrician, had worked with the manufacturing company for almost 24 years but was fired in May last year.

According to dailymail.co.uk, he took his employers to the tribunal, claiming, among other things, that he had been the victim of sex harassment following an incident with factory supervisor Jamie King.

Finn claimed that King had referred to him as a 'bald c***' during an argument in July 2019.

During the hearing of the case, a panel of three men who themselves were bald compared calling a man bald to commenting on a woman's breasts, and referring to Finn’s baldness was harassment.

As quoted by the dailymail.co.uk, the panel led by Judge Jonathan said: "There is a connection between the word "bald" on the one hand and the protected characteristic of sex on the other.

"(The company's lawyer) was right to submit that women as well as men may be bald. However, as all three members of the Tribunal will vouchsafe, baldness is much more prevalent in men than in women.

"We find it to be inherently related to sex."

The panel buttressed its ruling by referring to a previous tribunal case where a man was found to have sexually harassed a woman by remarking on the size of her breasts to rebut the firm's point.

"It is much more likely that a person on the receiving end of a comment such as that which was made in (that) case would be female.

"So too, it is much more likely that a person on the receiving end of a remark such as that made by Mr King would be male.

"Mr King made the remark with a view to hurting the claimant by commenting on his appearance which is often found amongst men.

"The Tribunal therefore determines that by referring to the claimant as a 'bald c***'...Mr King's conduct was unwanted, it was a violation of the claimant's dignity, it created an intimidating environment for him, it was done for that purpose, and it related to the claimant's sex."

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Calling a man 'bald' is sexual harassment – Court rules

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