A hypocritical employment equity theory?

By Tim Bloedow

Real women despise feminism and the and the juvenile ideology which sees affirmative action or parity of outcome as the only real way to advance their “equality.” When it comes to the work world, these real women note that feminists only champion equal rights to work when it comes to those fields where workers enjoy recognition, plush offices and air conditioning.

The article below by a male lawyer reflects that pathetic sentiment. He laments that women aren’t chosen to wait on tables at more prestigious establishments. He accuses these employers of discrimination. I want to see if this lawyer has the integrity of his convictions, or if he’s just a feminist of convenience. We just saw a mining disaster in West Virginia with at least a couple of dozen fatalities. Let’s see this lawyer apply his principle of employment equity to mining and write a passionate piece about how women should have equal rights to be miners!

Actually real men protect women, they don’t advance utopian, socialist notions of parity of outcome that do nothing to recognize the value of real, secure and self-confident women.

(The article below doesn’t appear in an online search. We’ve included an excerpt below.)

The Hamilton Spectator – April 5, 2010
A serving of equal rights for female wait staff
By Ed Canning

I have a confession to make. It would appear I could do with some sensitivity training with respect to discrimination in the workplace. The Ontario Human Rights Code prohibits discrimination in employment on a number of grounds, including sex, age, ethnicity, and so on. Having practised human-rights law representing both employees and employers for 18 years, I really thought I was the epitome of a sensitive, new-age guy. I thought with my experience I was attuned to all the nuances of discrimination and its many invidious forms. I was wrong. A few visits to what would be considered “classy” restaurants have brought this point home for me.

In one restaurant, so far as I saw, there was not a woman in sight. In the other, the only woman apparently on the premises was seating people and tending the bar. For some reason, after the second meal, the light finally went on in my thick head. Everywhere, the more money you pay for a meal, the less likely it is that you will be served by, never mind lay eyes on, a female employee. Both restaurants would be described as providing “French” service. Both appeared to have a preference for male waiters.

I believe the thinking goes something like this: This is a classy restaurant where you’re going to pay top dollar. To let you know that it’s a classy restaurant, you will only be served by men. There will be no mere women serving you. The fact that we only have male waiters shows we are serious and top end. After all, male labour is more valued than female labour. Our men are professional waiters, not just some woman looking for a part-time job. You deserve only the best. Of course, nobody ever says this out loud. It is an unspoken message. If challenged, the restaurateurs involved would probably protest that male servers in French restaurants are simply a tradition that they feel obliged to follow for the sake of the success of their business. …

For any offending restaurateur who is reading this, I have some free information for you. You can be dragged before the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and, if you don’t settle the case, you will be subject to a public hearing. All it takes is one woman to apply and not get hired and she can file a claim for free. If you’ve never had a female waiter, you will lose. The defence of providing traditional French service will get you nowhere fast. …

Ed Canning practices labour and employment law with Ross & McBride in Hamilton, representing both employers and employees.

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