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Calling a man “bald” as part of an insult is sexual harassment, a panel of judges has ruled.
According to reports, a tribunal in Yorkshire found such comments infringe human rights with commenting on a man’s baldness akin to commenting on women’s breasts or wolf whistling.
Three “balding” judges made up the panel and ruled that baldness was inherently related to sex because men were far more likely to lose their hair than women, reports The Telegraph.
The decision came after a worker was called a “bald c***” in a row with bosses in the workplace.
The complainant argued that referring to his baldness was harassment under the Equality Act 2010.
Baldness ‘inherintly’ related to sex
The panel agreed, the ruled: “There is a connection between the word ‘bald’ on the one hand and the protected characteristic of sex on the other.
“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 women. We find it to be inherently related to sex.”
The complainant was reportedly fired from his firm in West Yorkshire after two decades of service.
The worker won his claim for unfair dismissal and sexual harassment and compensation will reportedly be decided at a later date following the tribunal hearing.
