You can’t be fired for being a woman — but apparently you can be legally fired for being too hot.
A Manhattan judge has made that determination about a wrongful-termination lawsuit brought by a blond massage therapist against her ex-employers — a chiropractor and his former Playboy Playmate wife.
Dilek Edwards, who is also a yoga teacher, sued her ex-boss, nude model Stephanie Adams, in 2013. Adams and husband Charles Nicolai co-own Wall Street Chiropractic and Wellness.
Edwards claimed that Adams, 45, texted her in October 2013 warning her to “stay away” from her husband and family shortly after her boss admitted that his wife “might become jealous” of the limber, 32-year-old staffer because she’s “too cute.”
NYPost.com/Chad Rachman/Instagram
Dilek Edwards filed a lawsuit and learned attractive women aren't protected by gender-discrimination laws.
Edwards insists her relationship with the chiropractor was “strictly professional.”
Still, the day after the threatening text, Nicholai fired her.
Edwards argued in her suit that “firing a woman because of a gender-related aspect of her appearance is unlawful discrimination” because “attractiveness is directly tied to … gender.”
But Manhattan Judge Shlomo Hagler disagreed, finding that attractive women aren’t protected by gender-discrimination laws. “There is no allegation … that [Edwards] was terminated because of her status as a woman,” Hagler ruled. “With respect to whether appearance can be the basis of a discrimination claim … courts have not found discrimination when the subject conduct or policy was not applied differently to men and women.”
The law, he said, also doesn’t prevent “termination motivated by spousal jealousy alone.”
When the suit was filed, Adams — the first openly lesbian woman to be a Playmate — told the Post she didn’t view Edwards as competition. “No disrespect to anyone — but I’m a centerfold,” Miss November 1992 boasted.
Dilek’s attorney, D. Maimon Kirschenbaum, pledged to appeal.
“It seems to me that it is plainly discriminatory to fire a woman who is too cute or not cute enough or for any other appearance-related reason,” Kirschenbaum said.
“Such behavior has the unfortunate consequence of reducing women to their sexual attractiveness,” he said.
Adams’ lawyer Douglas Wigdor said, “We are pleased that the judge dismissed the claim.”
This report previously appeared at NYPost.com.
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A Manhattan judge has made that determination about a wrongful-termination lawsuit brought by a blond massage therapist against her ex-employers — a chiropractor and his former Playboy Playmate wife.
Dilek Edwards, who is also a yoga teacher, sued her ex-boss, nude model Stephanie Adams, in 2013. Adams and husband Charles Nicolai co-own Wall Street Chiropractic and Wellness.
Edwards claimed that Adams, 45, texted her in October 2013 warning her to “stay away” from her husband and family shortly after her boss admitted that his wife “might become jealous” of the limber, 32-year-old staffer because she’s “too cute.”
Dilek Edwards filed a lawsuit and learned attractive women aren't protected by gender-discrimination laws.
Edwards insists her relationship with the chiropractor was “strictly professional.”
Still, the day after the threatening text, Nicholai fired her.
Edwards argued in her suit that “firing a woman because of a gender-related aspect of her appearance is unlawful discrimination” because “attractiveness is directly tied to … gender.”
But Manhattan Judge Shlomo Hagler disagreed, finding that attractive women aren’t protected by gender-discrimination laws. “There is no allegation … that [Edwards] was terminated because of her status as a woman,” Hagler ruled. “With respect to whether appearance can be the basis of a discrimination claim … courts have not found discrimination when the subject conduct or policy was not applied differently to men and women.”
The law, he said, also doesn’t prevent “termination motivated by spousal jealousy alone.”
When the suit was filed, Adams — the first openly lesbian woman to be a Playmate — told the Post she didn’t view Edwards as competition. “No disrespect to anyone — but I’m a centerfold,” Miss November 1992 boasted.
Dilek’s attorney, D. Maimon Kirschenbaum, pledged to appeal.
“It seems to me that it is plainly discriminatory to fire a woman who is too cute or not cute enough or for any other appearance-related reason,” Kirschenbaum said.
“Such behavior has the unfortunate consequence of reducing women to their sexual attractiveness,” he said.
Adams’ lawyer Douglas Wigdor said, “We are pleased that the judge dismissed the claim.”
This report previously appeared at NYPost.com.
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