Woman who wore a prosthetic device while contemplating gender change claims J&J Snack Food fired her

[The Straight Story]

SCRANTON, Pa. - A woman who wore a prosthetic device while contemplating a gender change claims J&J Snack Food fired her for it, though it did not fire a male worker who wore female prosthetic devices and dressed in women's clothing.

Full PDF here: http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/01/12/Employ.pdf

[Nye Bevan]

1. So was this "prosthetic device" like a plastic penis?

Why would anyone be fired for that?

[targetpractice]

3. Because it's inappropriate to discuss one's genitals (prosthetic or otherwise) in the workplace? n/t

I'm guessing the basis for the termination was "sexual harassment"... I support the plaintiff's transition, but not sure why she needed to share details in the workplace... probably crossing the line.

[Nye Bevan]

12. Good point. If I kept talking about my (real) penis at work,

I imagine I would be fired too.

[rfranklin]

4. I wear a penis to work every day and never had a problem...

I have heard of other people wearing vaginas without incident.

(She was probably just proud of her new package.)

[justiceischeap]

19. What a packer usually looks like (prosthetic penis photo inside)

[wolfeyes21]

24. I thought this photo looked familiar

As being the one who originally took this photo and being transgender myself, I really think you all need to educate yourselves on the subject. Granted if the plaintiff was using something not deemed a packer, which is usually made of cyberskin to simulate a flaccid penis, then it may have been noticeable by coworkers etc.

But in regards to all of the jokes made and the puns, these really are not funny at all to anyone who goes through this on a daily basis. I don't see anything funny about being fired over the fact that someone can go to work presenting as the gender they identify with. There are no laws in place that strictly protects transgender people from discrimination. And I have experienced similar occurences, being let go because of my transgender status, though being told that "the company had to let the seasonal help go a month early" yet I was the only one whom was let go.

I hope the plaintiff wins, because no one should be fired for a reason like this.

And on a side note, packers are not prosthetics. Packers are usually made of materials that do not last as long or look as realistic as a prosthetic would and are only a fraction of the price.

[Vanje]

31. Thanks for this post

Apparently the thread is just hilarious.
Call me humorless, but I dont think discrimination for Trans peoples is all that funny

Welcome to DU. Dont let the A-holes get you down.

[2on2u]

26. Why do you need two of them? n/t

[wolfeyes21]

35. because they don't last very long and obviously the one on the left is not a realistic color

[dawg]

2. 16. Plaintiff worked as a packer

[rfranklin]

5. Are packer peckers prohibited?

Or is it wrong to pick a pecker if you're a packer?

[rfranklin]

6. You can prick your finger in public...

but you can't finger your prick in public. (George Carlin)

[2on2u]

27. You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you should

never pick your friend's nose.... anyway, how was she wearing it? Inny or outy?

[ddeclue]

13. perhaps prosthetic packer peckers are prohibited.

pardon me while I wipe the spit off the monitor...

[jberryhill]

16. A Plethora of Places Prohibit Plastic Prosthetic Penis Products

...especially things like the "Whizzinator" brand of fake penis that is sold with substitute urine for the purpose of defeating urine tests.

[DryHump]

18. Choices

Unfortunately she wore the eighteen-inch, semi-erect, tatooed Plastic Prosthetic Penis Product and did not have the foresight to carry a math book to work to mask the damn thing.

[slackmaster]

20. So this is all about a packer plaintiff's prosthetic pecker pecadillo in Pennsylvania?

I'm confused.

[Warren DeMontague]

25. plenty of people partake in prosthetic peckers. Packing paired with prosthetic peckers aka packers

is presumably permitted in Pennsylvania.

[2on2u]

36. No, but I have heard that prostate massagers are reasonably priced. n/t

[Avalux]

7. No problem if she wore it and kept her mouth shut.

There was no reason to inform co-workers she was wearing a penis. And how were they informed? The trial will be fun!

[justiceischeap]

8. Shouldn't be a problem if she talked about it either. nt

[Avalux]

10. Why do you say that? Do men walk around the workplace talking about their penises?

Depending on what she said and to whom, would be considered sexual harrassment. Any sort of sexual talk is a no no.

[justiceischeap]

14. You're assuming that he's talking about his penis

when it could have been mentioned that he was transitioning. Or someone could have noticed he was packing. No one needs to say the word penis to talk about one's transition and talking about transitioning shouldn't be grounds for firing.

Oh, and I've worked in plenty of work environments where men talk about their penis.

[Avalux]

17. Until the trial, all assumption.

We really have no idea what was said to co-workers. I'm just saying that if she did talk about wearing a prosthetic penis to co-workers, it would be considered sexual harrassment. If I worked with a man who talked to me about his penis, I'd go to HR immediately.

[REP]

15. If she told HR, not a problem. If she told coworkers, might be a problem.

Coworkers should not be discussing genitalia with each other. Talking about it with a friend is one thing; talking about it at coworkers at work during work hours could be harassment. Without more information, it's difficult to know.

Fired for just wearing it? Big problem.

[hlthe2b]

29. Fine line... Generally workplaces would look upon such discussions as potential sexual harrassment.

[Vanje]

32. Right fucking on!

...and if I tell my co-workers I'm gay , is that sexual harrassment?

A co-worker of mine in the very early 1990s thought it was.

[2on2u]

37. Untimely arrousal?? n/t

[lumberjack_jeff]

11. Does not compute

What's the purpose of a (one assumes) non-erect plastic penis?

[slackmaster]

21. It provides a preview of the problems that proper penis possessers pilot

Or something like that.

[lumberjack_jeff]

22. A pee-proof pliable plastic penis is perplexing. n/t

[CreekDog]

23. Seems like the men here (mostly) think this is comedy gold

I laugh at a lot of random stuff.

But someone going through that? It seems kind of harsh to laugh and make jokes about someone going through something so challenging and already subject to ridicule.

Do people here laugh and make jokes when they watch that show "Little People, Big World"?

To laugh at that is more a reflection on the person doing the laughing --at least that's how it looks from here.

[Vanje]

33. You and me both, Creeky

Is it A-Hole Day at DU,or something?

[Call Me Wesley]

34. It's

the 'Rush-Limbaugh-Reflex.' Or frat boys hurting due puberty changes. Or to keep it short and in one for them (hopefully) understandable word: disgusting.

[Ilsa]

28. It would be interesting if

she was able to have her surgery, then get rehired as a man.

I wonder if her pay would be higher?

I hope she can keep her insurance to help pay for the surgery.

[Ms. Toad]

30. Insurance generally does not cover gender reassignment surgery n/t