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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMan gets payout for not shaking woman's hand
Man gets payout for not shaking woman's hand
A town in western Sweden has agreed to pay damages to a man who was told he wouldn't be hired if he refused to shake a woman's hand for religious reasons.
The decision by officials in Trollhättan to pay the man 30,000 kronor ($4,500) means the municipality won't have to face a review of the case by Sweden's Equality Ombudsman (Diskrimineringsombudsmannen).
The incident stemmed from an office visit by a man who had been offered an internship with the integration division at Trollhättan municipality.
When the man was set to meet a female supervisor at the office, he refused to shake her hand, explaining his religion forbade him from shaking hands with women unless he washed his hands directly afterwards.
The female supervisor then reportedly told the man that he could not intern at the office if he was not comfortable shaking everybody's hand. She also allegedly added that the office had hand sanitizer that he could use.
http://www.thelocal.se/48008/20130520/#.UZqnCdj4Kt0
louis-t
(23,295 posts)What religion forbids a man to shake hands with a woman unless he washes his hands afterward? I've never heard of this. Then he gets paid for it?
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)Reasons are usually about womanly uncleanliness (that time of the month), misogyny, and fear of being sexually attracted doncha know by touching her skin...
siligut
(12,272 posts)I can't think of a single fundie religion that doesn't treat women like second class citizens.
Betsy Ross
(3,147 posts)Forget that unclean crap. Lived it so I know.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)They believe shaking hands will lead to mad sex etc.
FWIW, there are women who ENFORCE burqa wearing even though it effectively disappears women from society. Sometimes women can even be bigger enforcers of religious rules relegating women to second class status, more so than men.
Brainwashed? Stockholm Syndrome?
I dunno but I know its true.
samsingh
(17,598 posts)Enrique
(27,461 posts)by the way, i want to be a Diskrimineringsombudsmannen when i grow up
They can't fit that on a standard business card.
Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)/headdesk
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Another strike for stupid, misogynistic religions!
Fla_Democrat
(2,547 posts)Eurotrip?
Diskrimineringsombudsmannen
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)Misogyny has been a religious value since Abraham was declared a righteous man. or before.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Matariki
(18,775 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Matariki
(18,775 posts)If the person doing the hiring says that part of the job requires shaking hands, as per the article, then we can assume that it's part of the job to greet people, whether clients, or the public, or business contracts with the city or whatever.
Someone who can't shake women's hands needs a job in a cave, or an all-male monastery, or on mars, or under the sea. Ugh.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)On the other hand, I'm not seeing the big deal of not shaking hands.
Matariki
(18,775 posts)And that person was a woman? It would be very awkward and insulting to refuse, don't you think?
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)It's not exactly unheard of for religious conservatives to have an issue with physical contact with someone of the opposite gender other than one's spouse.
It's a silly objection he's making, but free exercise is all about silly objections that aren't burdensome to accomodate.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)or any other matter with a government employee and they refused to shake my hand.
I don't care what reason they gave.
In a secular government institution, if the representative of that governmental institution was so offended by my sex they would refuse to shake my hand, I'd be more than annoyed.
YMMV
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Scandinavian countries tend to be more sensitive to gender equality concerns than the US is.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)It looks more like a settlement to make the case go away than anything else. He only got @ $4500 which isn't much actually. Sounds like a token amount to pacify him and make it all go away.
Matariki
(18,775 posts)A very common thing in a professional environment. I'm having a hard time believing that you don't actually understand that and aren't just looking for something to argue about.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)They're very rare in the office environments I've worked in.
riderinthestorm
(23,272 posts)by refusing to shake my hand, I'd have a very, very hard time believing the credibility of the integration office's efforts on my behalf. For anything. From applying for permits, or helping me in my work place, or negotiating contracts or well, just about anything...
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Admittedly, my ignorance of that could invalidate my commentary here.
Cheers.
0zone
(60 posts)I have had to deal with the muscle men that try to squeeze the blood out of your hand and break every bone in your hand. Then there are the ones who shake and then tell you how sick they are. I tell everyone I have arthritis in my hand and let it go at that.