Apparently, being a man isn't alright

Surprise, surprise. Here we have a case of gender discrimination. The victim is a man. But of course, this sort of discrimination is allowed, because he's a man. And, as we all know, men are horrid beings who have oppressed and done evil things to the remainder of humanity (although I'm not sure I can use "humanity" as it contains "man").

People ought to be promoted and given jobs because their talents/abilities qualify them for the job, not because they are a certain sex or color or religion or anything else (if we allow that, then I demand more conservatives immediately added to university faculties).

Male Violinist Sues Philharmonic

NEW YORK - A violinist who claims the New York Philharmonic fired him because he is a man says some of the women who were promoted ahead of him gave flowers and other gifts to their bosses.

Anton Polezhayev, 29, says in a lawsuit that he was asked to leave after the 2003-2004 season, in the last month of his 17-month probation, despite being told by orchestra officials that he was doing "a fine job" and that his playing was "perfect."

Polezhayev's lawyer, Lenard Leeds, said Friday that the Philharmonic's personnel manager, Carl R. Schiebler, even wrote a letter to a landlord on the violinist's behalf, saying he expected Polezhayez would be "a long-term member of the orchestra."

Meanwhile, Polezhayev says in court papers filed Thursday, seven female violinists won permanent jobs or were promoted over him, although some had less experience than he had, or had not auditioned for the positions.

Polezhayev's court papers and Leeds said that some of the women's progress was accomplished by giving gifts, including flowers and champagne, to musical director Lorin Maazel and Glenn Dicterow, the concertmaster or principal violinist.

Of the Philharmonic's 33 violinists, 20 are women, the orchestra's Web site says.

"I think that if I were exactly the same person in a female body they would keep me for life and never fire me," Polezhayev said Friday by telephone.