Missouri residents who follow LGBT news may be interested in learning about a lawsuit involving Black Entertainment Television. Host B. Scott is suing the network on the basis of sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity. He is biologically a male, but he identifies as gender nonconforming.
Last summer, Scott was hired by the network to work the red carpet before the 2013 BET Awards in June. Scott was wearing makeup and heels, and the network allegedly forced him to remove them. He complied, but did not return to the air. The network apologized and claimed miscommunication; however, in August, Scott announced that he intended to file an employment discrimination lawsuit against BET.
The case turned even more bitter when emails concerning Scott were released in January 2014. The leaked emails depicted BET officials communicating their disapproval over Scott’s appearance on the air. Some commented that he should look less like a woman and temper his appearance. In addition, the emails indicated that BET planned to put a spin on the incident, claiming that the reason why he did not appear on the air was that he showed up late to the event. Scott stated publicly that he was shocked by the content of the emails, which he found hurtful and disheartening.
Workplace discrimination is illegal, and the leaked emails could be strong evidence that his attorneys might be able to use in order to build the case. Scott’s attorneys could possibly settle out of court; however, if they do not, they might choose to litigate as they attempt to obtain compensation for their client.
Source: The Huffington Post, “BET Emails About Host B. Scott Suggest Network Didn’t Want Him ‘Looking Like A Woman’“, Cavan Sieczkowski , January 09, 2014
