The typical sexual harassment case involves a man demanding sexual favors from a female subordinate.  But what happens if a male or female manager makes sexual demands of a male subordinate? Can the male victim bring a lawsuit? The answer is that it is possible, but it is complicated and you need to consult with an experienced lawyer to determine your legal rights.

The law is not the same everywhere

The first thing to understand is that the law regarding sexual harassment varies from state to state. Even federal law, which is supposed to be the same everywhere, varies by state because different courts interpret federal law in different ways. That is why it is essential to speak to a lawyer who understands these complexities.

Men can bring sexual harassment cases against women

There is no difference between a man demanding sexual favors from a female subordinate or colleague and a woman demanding them from a male subordinate or colleague.  Both types of sexual harassment are equally wrong and illegal, and the same rules apply to both.

Men can bring sexual harassment cases against other men

When a man demands sexual favors from another man, courts have adopted a more skeptical view of the claims. Courts recognize three main categories of lawsuits that can be brought by men against other men.

First, when the harasser is homosexual .

Second, when the harasser is motivated by general hostility to the presence of someone of the same gender in the workplace

And third, when there is direct comparative evidence about how the alleged harasser treated members of both sexes.

Men face stigma

Whether the harasser of a man is male or female, the male victim faces some stigma in a sexual harassment case. The difficulty in a man bringing a sexual harassment case is that men are stereotyped by society as being less vulnerable to sexual harassment and less likely to suffer from it. This means that a man faces an uphill battle to convince a court that he has been victimized, and then another uphill battle to convince the court that he has suffered substantial damages.  This means that men need particularly skilled and experienced attorneys to represent them in bringing such claims. But men should not be afraid to step forward and make their claims, since otherwise the problem of sexual harassment will never be resolved.