A recent ruling by the High Court has determined that calling a man “bald” can be considered sexual harassment. The judge’s decision, included in a full judgment, states that using this term may violate equality laws because it is “inherently related to sex.”
This ruling comes from a legal case filed by Tony Finn, an electrician who claimed he was sexually harassed by his boss during a heated argument in 2019. Mr. Finn, 64, worked at the British Bung Company for 24 years before being fired in 2021.
He alleged that during the argument, his supervisor called him a “stupid bald c***” and even threatened to “deck” him. Mr. Finn said this incident made him feel “fearful for my personal safety.”
The employment tribunal’s ruling was made by a panel of three men, all of whom are bald. They agreed that the comment crossed a line and rejected the argument that it wasn’t sexist because women can also be bald.