Seattle Post-Intelligencer Editor & Publisher J.D.
Alexander "steadfastly maintained" on Wednesday in a gender
discrimination suit that he hired Laura Vecsey as a
sportswriter "based on her ability, not because she was a
woman," according to Elaine Porterfield of the SEATTLE POST-
INTELLIGENCER. The newspaper is defending itself against a
suit brought by sportswriter Bud Withers, who claims "he was
discriminated against because of his gender when he was
passed over for the prestigious job of columnist" in '94.
Withers is now a sportswriter for the Seattle Times.
Alexander: "We don't hire on gender; we hire on talent.
Laura was hired because she was well qualified." Alexander
said that editors "briefly considered promoting" Withers,
but decided that "although he was talented, his subject
range was too narrow. ... He obviously writes well, but that
does not mean he's the person I'd want in the columnist
position." Under cross-examination, Alexander "acknowledged
pointing out to Withers when Vecsey was hired that the
sports department had no women on staff." Alexander: "I
said it didn't hurt (that Vecsey was female) in the sense
that gender is (no longer an issue in hiring)" (P-I, 3/25).
