The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports sexual harassment claims from men have grown from 9 percent in 1992 to 15 percent in 2003, and most of those claims are between two men.
"It's often the men who are not gay who pick on someone. They pick on men who seem effeminate or not aggressive enough," said Caroline Wheeler, assistant general counsel with the EEOC, in a quote published by USA Today.
Same-sex harassment lawsuits have grown since the 1998 ruling by the Supreme Court that found same-sex harassment by men violates federal civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination. Since that ruling more same-sex harassment lawsuits have been filed. The EEOC reports more than 2,000 claims are filed each year. That number was less than 1,000 from fiscal 1990 to 1992.
But the increase does not just come from the court ruling. Legal experts believe same-sex harassment may be more prevalent in the workplace. In an August study by lawyers.com and Glamour magazine, 17 percent of men reported sexual harassment compared to 35 percent of women.
Same-sex sexual harassment most recently made headlines when New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey announced his resignation over claims of sexual harassment by a male former aide.
In the private sector, several employers have faced lawsuits from same-sex harassment claims. An auto chain in Colorado had to pay $500,000 in 2000 to settle a claim by 10 former salesmen who said their genitals were grabbed by male managers. Last year, Babies R Us and Long Prairie Packing settled lawsuits by male employees claiming they were made fun of by male co-workers.
Email This Page!