NEWS

Sunday, September 4, 2011

ART ON TRIAL: CASE 8





The Issue: Sexual Harassment and Artistic Expression

In 1964, Congress passed Title VII of the Civil Rights Act which, among other things, prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, and gender. Since its passage, courts have interpreted gender discrimination to encompass sexual harassment in the workplace. Two types of sexual harassment may constitute violations of Title VII: harassment that involves the conditioning of concrete employment benefits on sexual favors, and harassment that, while not affecting economic benefits, creates a hostile or offensive working environment. To maintain an action based on a hostile work environment, a plaintiff must show that he or she is the victim of actions, behaviors, or statements that were so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would find the environment abusive. Many states and localities have adopted similar prohibitions of sexual harassment.

Given that sexual harassment can often involve expression, there is an inherent conflict between laws prohibiting sexual harassment and the First Amendment right of free speech. In addressing this issue, courts have held that the goal of abolishing sexual discrimination in the workplace is important enough to justify some restrictions on work place speech. Even with this compelling goal, however, restrictions on workplace speech must be narrowly tailored to prevent arbitrary enforcement by government officials according to their own personal tastes (see also Zoning Laws and Artistic Expression). These restrictions are relevant to artistic expression in that they can affect the kind of art displayed in the workplace.

The Case: Henderson v. City of Murfreesboro (TN)

In 1996, Laurie Crowder, an assistant superintendent for city schools in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was walking through City Hall on her way to a professional meeting. On display in the City Hall rotunda was an exhibit of dozens of paintings by local artists. One piece in particular caught Ms. Crowder's eye: a 12-by-16 inch oil painting by artist Maxine Henderson. Entitled “Gwen,” the impressionist painting depicts a seated nude female, legs crossed at the knees, with her left arm draped across her chest.

Ms. Crowder was highly offended by the piece and the next day submitted a sexual harassment complaint to the city legal department. She asserted that the painting was “pornographic” and “very offensive and degrading to [her] as a woman.” Crowder wanted the painting removed. Though the city attorney did not believe the painting constituted a federal violation under Title VII , he did feel it violated the city’s internal sexual harassment policy and removed the painting himself. Maxine Henderson brought suit in U.S. District Court claiming the removal of her painting was a violation of the First Amendment. The court agreed, but without deciding the substantive issue of whether or not the display of "Gwen" constituted sexual harassment. Instead, the court held the removal was unconstitutional because it was done pursuant to a policy that was not narrowly-tailored to prevent sexual harassment, i.e., the Murfreesboro policy lacked written and specific guidelines as to what could be displayed on city property. Without such guidelines in place, city officials would be able to arbitrarily decide which artwork could be displayed in government spaces according to their own personal tastes.

http://www.tjcenter.org/ArtOnTrial/sexharass.html
Gwen
(12" x 16" oil painting)
by
Maxine Henderson

BOSES

BOSES

IBALONG

IBALONG

THY WOMB

THY WOMB


PHILIPPINE ART PUBLICATIONS










About This Blog









SECRET FRESH GALLERY

SECRET FRESH GALLERY

DRAWING ROOM

DRAWING ROOM

ALTRO MONDO

ALTRO MONDO

SINDO ARTWALL

SINDO ARTWALL

OARHOUSE

OARHOUSE

AYALA MUSEUM

AYALA MUSEUM

BLANC

BLANC

GSIS MUSEO NG SINING

GSIS MUSEO NG SINING

MUSEO DE LIPA

MUSEO DE LIPA

NAGA CITY ART GALLERY

NAGA CITY ART GALLERY

GALLERIA NICOLAS

GALLERIA NICOLAS

WEST GALLERY

WEST GALLERY

GALLERY ORANGE

GALLERY ORANGE

40TH LIKHANG SINING 2013

40TH LIKHANG SINING 2013

ART FAIR PHILIPPINES 2013

ART FAIR PHILIPPINES 2013

RIZAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2013

RIZAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2013

CINEMA REHIYON 2013

CINEMA REHIYON 2013

VIVA-EXCON LOGO DESIGN COMPETITION

VIVA-EXCON LOGO DESIGN COMPETITION

2013 AMELIA LAPEÑA BONIFACIO LITERARY CONTEST

2013 AMELIA LAPEÑA BONIFACIO LITERARY CONTEST

ANIMAHENASYON 2013 POSTER DESIGN CONTEST

ANIMAHENASYON 2013 POSTER DESIGN CONTEST


  © Blogger template Brownium by Ourblogtemplates.com 2009

Back to TOP