Host Diana Falzone is suing Fox News claiming that a story that she wrote describing her own experience with infertility became the catalyst for her demotion within the company.
The company-approved article, titled "Women Should Never Suffer in Silence," ran in January. After its publication, Falzone says that her manager told her that she wouldn't be able to host her show, perform voiceover work for the network, or conduct interviews. BuzzFeed reports that the article focused on Falzone's endometriosis, which later led to her infertility. Falzone and her legal team filed the suit on the basis of gender and disability discrimination.
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"The male-dominated senior management of Fox News obviously objected to the fact that a female on-air host had disclosed that she suffers from a women's reproductive health condition, which, in their eyes, detracted from her sex appeal and made her less desirable," Falzone's lawsuit states.
When Falzone asked her manager why she was being limited in her work, she says that she didn't receive a clear answer, though her manager did insist that she look for a new job. Falzone adds that her sudden dismissal from any on-air jobs has hurt her chances of finding a new position and that the undue stress has exacerbated the endometriosis.
"The issues raised in Diana Falzone's lawsuit are a concern for all women," Nancy Erika Smith, Falzone's attorney, added. "Fox News never banned her male counterparts who have discussed their personal health issues on air. Indeed, those men saw their careers advance."
Falzone's claims are just the latest news coming from the cable network. Recently, Fox News dismissed anchor Bill O'Reilly over allegations of sexual misconduct. Additionally, the network is facing a class-action lawsuit citing racial discrimination. Last year, the network's former CEO, Roger Ailes, was also ousted for sexual misconduct brought to light by former host Gretchen Carlson.
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