Female Fire Chief Accused of Harassment

"After reading this story, it would be safe to say their next chief probably won't be a lesbian."

You're probably right, Anthony. However it would be another injustice if they didn't consider every qualified applicant to the job simply because one of them was a lesbian. It'd be just as wrong as if a hetero male chief left under such circumstances and so the people making the next hiring decision decided they would not consider straight men as possible successful applicants. People ought to be evaluated for their fitness for the job and not on indellible characteristics or other non-relevant matters.

What this story does point up is something people really need to recognize: that abuse of position, whether it be for financial or other personal gain (filling positions with like-minded people, getting sexual satisfaction, or any other kind of thing) is not limited to only one class of person (ie, straight white men) but indeed the abuse of power can be found all over humanity. More's the shame, really, that at least it can't be limited. It can't. It can only be watched for and worked against, but it is human vanity and dysfunction which propels it, not ethnicity, sexual orinetation, or anything else but our own defective scruples-- which all of us have to some degree in some way... all of us, regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, creed, color, or anything else.

“She co-founded a group that helps women train for the firefighting test, and she helped get the city to change one part of the grueling physical test so it more accurately reflected the tasks required on the job.”

So what did Bonnie Bleskachek (aka Alfreda Newman) really accomplish here? What this really translates to is degradation in the physical prowess of the department at the expense of public safety!

Now imagine if you will Police Departments, the Military, Fire Departments, or any other number of physically demanding fields forced to meet hiring quotas that reflect the gender ratio of the population. To do so would require a slacking off of the qualifications even more in order to accommodate the average female in statute and assertiveness. If Hitlery Cliton (no typo) gets elected as the 44th U.S. president, that’s the outcome we have to look forward to.

Alfreda Newman

... the worst she'll probably get is early retirement with pension. And that's nothing to do with her gender or sexual orientation as that kind of outcome would be just as likely in a straight male who has the same level of power and connections.

But, I agree completely that we need to treat everyone equally and not assume just because of one's gender or sexual orientation that they are any more or less capable or worthy of a position because each individual has their own set of values and morals.

It seems to be human nature when in power to fill positions with like minded individuals no matter what the job is. It's easier for us to relate and understand people who are like us and therefore we tend to see these people as most capable when looking to fill positions.