Employment Discrimination By Any Other Name

Dr. Jodi O'Brien, a sociology professor at Seattle University--which is a Catholic institution--was offered the position of Dean at Marquette, and then the offer was rescinded.

And Dr. O'Brien is playing to the court of public opinion in decrying this injustice.

From Huffingtonpost.com:

After offering Seattle University sociology professor Jodi O'Brien a dean position at the school, Marquette University has rescinded the offer -- and some are saying it's because O'Brien is gay.

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nancy Pat Pfeil, a spokeswoman for the Jesuit college, said that the job offer cancellation was due in part to some of O'Brien's published work "relating to Catholic mission and identity."

In a statement from the school, Pfeil said that the college decided O'Brien was not an "acceptable candidate for permanent appointment."

Reached by email by the Sentinel, O'Brien said she was "stunned and disappointed."

Marquette professor Nancy E. Snow claims that O'Brien's appointment may have upset donors and the situation is "all about [O'Brien's] sexual orientation."

Since Marquette is a private religious institution--even though it undoubtedly receives federal funds--it can practice such discrimination and get away with it. There is no employment non-discrimination act that protects those of us who are LGBTQI on a federal or state level.

Nothing.

We who are LGBTQI can be discriminated against, and there is nothing we can do about it.

Nothing.

Oh, we can kick and scream, play to the court of public opinion, but there is nothing we can do legally.

We are, after all, in the eyes of the law, second class citizens.

It is employment discrimination.

Based on sexual orientation.

It is wrong.

It is also the law of the land.

Change, anyone?

Pace!

B