Challenge Yourself!

Diego, Nate, and Ethan work at local roller coaster park Plummet. Ethan is gay. Because they know it makes Ethan uncomfortable, Diego and Nate regularly rate the attractiveness of male guests at the park, discuss the sex lives of male guests and celebrities, and play sexually explicit videos that feature naked men on their phones during their lunch breaks. Is Diego and Nate's behavior illegal harassment?

1. A. No. While Diego and Nate's behavior may be inappropriate, it is not illegal harassment because it is primarily directed at Plummet's guests, not at Ethan.

   A is incorrect.
   Diego and Nate's conduct is illegal because it is unwelcome (it makes Ethan feel uncomfortable) and because it occurs frequently. It does not matter that the conduct is directed at guests, and not at Ethan.

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2. B. No. Harassment is only illegal if the harasser is the opposite sex. Because Diego, Nate, and Ethan are all males, Diego and Nate's behavior is not illegal.

   B is incorrect.
   Harassment is illegal even if the harasser is the same sex as the victim(s).

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3. C. No. Although Diego and Nate's behavior is inappropriate, it is not illegal harassment because it occurs during their lunch breaks, and not during work hours.

   C is incorrect.
   The fact that the harassment occurs during Diego and Nate's lunch breaks does not matter.

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4. D. Yes. Diego and Nate's behavior is illegal because it occurs frequently and it makes Ethan uncomfortable. Ethan should report the conduct to Plummet or take other steps to request that the harassment stop.

   D is correct.
   If Ethan feels comfortable doing so, he should tell Diego and Nate to stop harassing him. Ethan could also talk to his parents or to another trusted adult, report the harassment to Plummet, or contact EEOC. If Plummet has a harassment policy, the policy should say which person or office is responsible for handling complaints. Once Plummet knows that Ethan is being harassed, it has a responsibility to stop the harassment and prevent it from happening again.

   Great job! Select another answer, or go to the next question.