Calling Men ‘Bald’ is Sexual Harassment, Employment Tribunal Rules

Meet Tony Finn, a victim of sexual harassment.

During his time at the West Yorkshire-based British Bung Company, a factory supervisor called Finn “bald.” What does that have to do with sexual harassment? Calling a man bald is an example of it, a UK tribunal ruled.

In 2019, a supervisor referred to Finn as a “bald c***” during a heated exchange before firing Finn. Mr. Finn had less of an issue with the firing than he did with the label. And when he took the matter to an employment panel of three men, he won the case.

According to the Daily Mail, the judge found that because hair loss is much more prevalent among men than women, calling someone “bald” is a “form of discrimination.”

“‘In our judgment, there is a connection between the word ‘bald’ on the one hand and the protected characteristic of sex on the other,” the panel said.

“The Tribunal therefore determines that by referring to the claimant as a ‘bald c***’…Mr King’s [the supervisor] 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.”

Put simply, the panel ruled that because baldness is mostly found in men, pointing out a bald head is gender discrimination. For context, the tribunal compared the incident to a supervisor commenting on a woman’s breasts.

Don’t talk about boobs or bald heads. Is that so difficult?

It’s unclear where exactly bald men fit on the victim pyramid. Though this is yet another example of how men with great hair unfairly lack the opportunity to claim someone has wronged them. That’s also a form of discrimination by the system.

The judge says he will determine Finn’s compensation at a later date. Bald men will be watching.